Morphy Defense, Wormald Attack
- 1.e4e5
- 2.Nf3Nc6
- 3.Bb5a6
- 4.Ba4Nf6
- 5.Qe2
1,458 games
A Ruy Lopez sideline in which White guards e4 with 5. Qe2, keeping the c3 and d4 plan open and often transposing to the Worrall Attack.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Wormald Attack
The Wormald Attack, 5. Qe2, also known as the Paulsen–Alapin Attack or Schlechter Variation, defends e4 with the queen instead of a pawn. This leaves c3 and d4 available and allows a rook to reach d1 after kingside castling. The usual course is 5...b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. c3, followed by 8. d4. Castling instead often transposes to the Worrall Attack, which Black can avoid with 6...Bc5. Engines rate the position as balanced.