Open, Howell Attack
- 1.e4e5
- 2.Nf3Nc6
- 3.Bb5a6
- 4.Ba4Nf6
- 5.O-ONxe4
- 6.d4b5
- 7.Bb3d5
- 8.dxe5Be6
- 9.Qe2
104 games
Open Ruy Lopez line in which 9. Qe2 frees d1 for a rook to pressure Black's d5-pawn and prepares Be3 against ...Bc5; engines rate it balanced.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Howell Attack
The Howell Attack, 9. Qe2, clears d1 so that a rook can pressure the d5-pawn along the d-file. It also prepares Be3 to exchange bishops if Black plays ...Bc5. The usual reply is 9...Be7 10. Rd1, and 10...O-O 11. c4 bxc4 12. Bxc4 Qd7 is the Ekstrom Variation. Paul Keres used the line against Max Euwe and Samuel Reshevsky in the 1948 World Championship tournament, and Fabiano Caruana has also played it. Engines consider the position balanced.