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Ruy Lopez, Open (C83)
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 O-O Nxe4 6 d4 b5
7 Bb3 d5 8 dxe5 Be6

Number of games in database: 448
Years covered: 1869 to 2009
Overall record:
   White wins 39.3%
   Black wins 25.2%
   Draws 35.5%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Paul Keres  13 games
Alexander Alekhine  12 games
Isaac Boleslavsky  9 games
Max Euwe  34 games
Viktor Korchnoi  23 games
Wolfgang Unzicker  13 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Tarrasch vs Gunsberg, 1890
Bronstein vs Korchnoi, 1962
Alekhine vs Nimzowitsch, 1914
Alekhine vs Rubinstein, 1912
NN vs Tarrasch, 1915
Alekhine vs Fine, 1938
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 page 1 of 18; games 1-25 of 448  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves Year Event/LocaleOpening
1. Zukertort / Hoffer vs J Minckwitz  ½-½44 1869 LeipzigC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
2. Wemmers vs A Schottlaender  0-130 1879 DSB-01.KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
3. K Leffmann vs Gunsberg  0-139 1883 03.DSB-KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
4. M Bier vs Gunsberg  0-142 1885 04.DSB-KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
5. M Bier vs J Minckwitz  0-129 1885 DSB-04.KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
6. Blackburne vs Zukertort 1-035 1887 MatchC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
7. Tarrasch vs Zukertort 1-017 1887 05.DSB-KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
8. Metger vs Mackenzie  0-119 1887 DSB-05.KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
9. Mackenzie vs Taubenhaus  1-041 1887 DSB-05.KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
10. J N Berger vs Taubenhaus  1-060 1887 DSB-05.KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
11. J N Berger vs Schiffers  0-129 1887 DSB-05.KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
12. M Judd vs W Pollock  0-153 1889 USA-06.Congress New YorkC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
13. Max Weiss vs Taubenhaus  1-048 1889 USA-06.Congress New YorkC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
14. J W Baird vs W Pollock 0-136 1889 USA-06.Congress New YorkC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
15. Taubenhaus vs W Pollock 0-126 1889 USA-06.Congress New YorkC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
16. M Judd vs Burille  1-034 1889 USA-06.Congress New YorkC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
17. Tarrasch vs Gunsberg 1-013 1890 ManchesterC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
18. Csank vs B Fleissig  0-159 1890 Kolisch memC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
19. J W Baird vs J N Berger  0-140 1894 DSB-09.KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
20. J W Baird vs P K Seuffert  1-035 1894 DSB-09.KongressC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
21. Pillsbury vs W Pollock 1-056 1895 04, HastingsC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
22. K Walbrodt vs Winawer 1-037 1896 Budapest itC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
23. K Walbrodt vs Albin  1-051 1896 Budapest itC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
24. Janowski vs Winawer 1-026 1896 ViennaC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
25. G Marco vs W Cohn 1-041 1897 Berlin itC83 Ruy Lopez, Open
 page 1 of 18; games 1-25 of 448  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  
 

Secrets of Opening Surprises

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing >
Jul-18-03   actual: I've been playing over alot of these games lately <C80-C83>. I'm trying to understand the main ideas for black and pick up on any recurring themes, but I'm having trouble because from game to game the play seems varied. One thing that I have noticed is black getting his d-pawn passed early and using it to win.
Jul-18-03
Premium Chessgames Member
  ChessPraxis: I knew that Korchnoi liked to play the Open Ruy Lopez but I didn't realize that Max Euwe was such an advocate of it.
Jul-21-03   actual: Tarrasch as well
Jan-16-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  InspiredByMorphy: I think the Open Ruy Lopez is a lot more exciting than many of the closed lopez games! refutor I couldnt agree with you more by the way ( except for looking in bobbys direction, look in Morphys! lol ... But I guess their positional insight is similar ) In fact Fischers only treatment to the Ruy Lopez he exhibited was the classic defense 3.Bc5 which isnt bad, but it would have been cool to see him play the open defense.
Jun-01-04   keith pickles: Could i see more lines with the Open Lopez Ng5 move i would like to see some recent games and any theoretical advances made.!!
Jun-01-04   Swindler: Yes, Tarrasch was also a supporter of this opening. In his book on the St. Petersburg tournament of 1914 (a great book by the way) he annotates O Bernstein vs Gunsberg, 1914 and gives 5. ...Be7 as a bad move and cites 5. ...Nxe4 as the correct move. Theory has changed quite a bit since then!

Why did the Open variation fall out of favour after Tarrasch? I get the impression that the Closed was seen as no.1 even before Karpovs Ng5.

Jun-01-04   OneBadDog: This is a great opening. However, I think that the 9. Nbd2 lines have killed it (look at Kasparov-Anand '95).
Jun-01-04   PinkPanther: <OneBadDog>
It's only the "Karpov Gambit" which has "killed" this opening, but the gambit can be avoided by not pushing the pawn and pinning the knight with the bishop instead. Overall, I would say the Open Variation is alive and well.
Jun-01-04   OneBadDog: <PinkPanther> I understand what you're saying. However, most of the Bg4 lines lead to a slight but persistant edge for white.
Jun-01-04   PinkPanther: <OneBadDog>
Most of the opening lines in all of chess lead to a slight but persistant edge for white.
Jun-01-04   OneBadDog: True, but depending on what your sources are, there are some openings that do equalize for Black. Looking at NCO there are a number of lines, especially against 1e4, that equalize.
Jun-01-04   PinkPanther: True, but only because of inaccuracies made by white.
Jun-01-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  acirce: I usually play 11. Bxe6 instead of the Ng5 "gambit". Quite as good, I think.
Jun-01-04   OneBadDog: the Qe2 lines are also intersting.
Aug-16-04   tomh72000: Do you mean 9.Qe2, the Howell/Keres attack? It seems to give black equality if he knows the theory.
Jul-28-06   Ness: after move 6. d4 why isn't the pawn captured? i must be missing something obvious! HELP PLZ
Jul-28-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  micartouse: <Ness>The line is considered dangerous for Black because it leads after a series of sharp forcing moves into a clearly superior endgame for White. An exemplary game is:

Capablanca vs Edward Lasker, 1915

Also, White can easily force a draw by repetition if he desires. But every once in a while people do risk 6 ... exd4.

Jul-28-06   Ness: Ok Thanks for the help micartouse!
Aug-20-06   WTHarvey: Here are some traps n zaps from C83 minitures: http://www.wtharvey.com/c83.html
Oct-23-06   popski: I agree here with <refutor>. Also this opening isn't very confortable to play if you are not Korchnoi.
Apr-11-07   soughzin: I think acirce might have the right idea. Ng5 is shocking but I feel pretty prepared for it. One can stand on the shoulders of theory and be ready for a forced draw or win if white slips up. Bxe6 makes me fight For the draw, and a loss if I slip up. Anyone else have an interest in this line?
May-26-07   Hesam7: I know that Korchnoi has written the monographs for C80-81, C82 and C83; does anyone know when he wrote these three volumes??
Apr-10-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Simonkaser: There is a problem in the diagram. There isn't a bishop on e7, only one on e6.
Apr-11-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Simonkaser: Correction : in the line above 9.c3 Be7 isn't marked (Bad English lol)
Jun-28-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  blacksburg: so...what's the verdict on this thing? has anything happened theoretically in recent years? i don't remember the last time i saw someone playing it. is black really in big trouble in the 9.Nbd2 lines?
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing >
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