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Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense (C61)
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 Nd4

Number of games in database: 1278
Years covered: 1856 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 48.3%
   Black wins 24.5%
   Draws 27.2%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Efim Geller  6 games
Garry Kasparov  5 games
Simon Winawer  5 games
Henry Bird  32 games
Jiri Jirka  30 games
Vladimir Malaniuk  23 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Kasparov vs Khalifman, 2002
Kasparov vs A Roizman, 1978
Capablanca vs Blackburne, 1914
Anderssen vs M Lange, 1859
V Kahn vs C Hartlaub, 1916
Olland vs Alekhine, 1913
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 page 1 of 52; games 1-25 of 1,278  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. H Kennedy / J Lowenthal vs Howard Staunton / NN 0-1541856Consultation gameC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
2. J Owen / T Barnes vs Staunton 0-1321858Consultation gameC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
3. Anderssen vs M Lange 0-1191859AnalysisC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
4. R Wormald vs F Burden  0-1271859MatchC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
5. S Boden vs W Evelyn  1-0291859Casual gameC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
6. C H Schultz vs Bernard Rice  1-0261860New York CC - Brooklyn CCC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
7. R Lichtenscheidt vs M Rossy 0-15518633rd West German Congress-prelimC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
8. G Schnitzler vs C Vitzthum 0-14418644th WSB Congress, DuesseldorfC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
9. G Vogt vs A Ascharin  1-0441865Dorpat Chess ClubC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
10. C De Vere vs Bird 1-04318666th BCA Congress, 1st Challenge Cup, LondonC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
11. de Riviere vs E D'Andre ½-½601867ParisC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
12. Winawer vs C De Vere 1-0211867ParisC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
13. R Wormald vs Bird 1-01918698th BCA Congress, 2nd Challenge Cup, London 1868/69C61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
14. G MacDonnell vs Bird  1-01918698th BCA Congress, 2nd Challenge Cup, London 1868/69C61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
15. S Boden vs Bird / Dobell 0-1201873LondonC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
16. J Wisker vs Bird 1-0431873London m1C61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
17. J Wisker vs Bird 1-0271873London m4C61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
18. O Gelbfuhs vs Bird 0-1651873ViennaC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
19. Anderssen vs Bird 1-0311873ViennaC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
20. Anderssen vs Blackburne 0-1311873ViennaC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
21. M Fleissig vs Blackburne 1-0331873ViennaC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
22. C De Vere vs Bird 1-0181873City of London CC Handicap 1873/74C61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
23. H Hosmer vs H Kennicott 1-02918743rd American Chess Congress, ChicagoC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
24. Mason vs Bird  0-1411875Casual gameC61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
25. Mason vs Bird  ½-½391875Bird - Mason 1875/76C61 Ruy Lopez, Bird's Defense
 page 1 of 52; games 1-25 of 1,278  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 1 OF 5 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jan-16-04  TheTurk: there's good reason this variation of the spanish isnt played anymore. what a stinking load...
Jan-16-04  ughaibu: Of course it's played: Short vs Ivanchuk, 1989 and look at this: S Pina vs B Lopez, 2001 no less an authority than Bird Lopez himself. With games like this: Ujtumen vs A Lein, 1961 for inspiration I dont see it ever not being played.
Jan-16-04  refutor: khalifman drew the "world champion" in it Kasparov vs Khalifman, 2002
Jan-16-04  ughaibu: Nothing to say? This is a great and wonderfull opening and especially suited to those who dont want to bother memorising lines.
Jan-16-04  Kenkaku: This is an incredibly annoying defense to play against as white. It should not be discounted.
Jan-16-04  InspiredByMorphy: Alekhine, Spassky, and Ivanchuk among others have played this defense. I think that says something about its possibilities.
Jan-16-04  BiLL RobeRTiE: I remember when I first started to play back in June, the Ruy Lopez was the first opening I learned! Of course my father, my friend and I didn't know any moves after 3. Bb5, so we experimented with a few moves for a while, usually using 3...Nge7 (of course, the possibility 3...a6 never entered our heads because we thought it simply lost a pawn.) Then my dad discovered this move (3...Nd4), forking the white bishop and knight and removing the pressure from e5. For a while we considered it to be a refutation of the Ruy! Of course, now I have discovered that it isn't actually good at all, but it certainly is annoying to face, which is another plus of playing the King's Gambit.
Jan-16-04  InspiredByMorphy: Right on Bill. The Kings gambit is my favorite opening! I do disagree however with the statement that the birds defense is no good. I havent personally used it to success, but I like many, I have not tryed. I would place this defense in the Latvian gambit category ( hard to play, and requires study, but not void of possibilities).
Feb-07-04  InspiredByMorphy: For those interested in fighting the Ruy Lopez in a different and overlooked way see Game Collection: Birds Defense victories
Feb-07-04  PinkPanther: <TheTurk>
hahaha, nice line. This is one of the few lines in chess that I absolutely crush every time I play....granted that's because the players that normally play this opening aren't exactly A-grade. Some of the other openings I crush, are the Steinitz Variation of the Ruy and just about all variations of the Queen's Gambit Accepted....especially when black tries to keep "his extra pawn that he so painstakingly earned with his second move" with the move 3...b5.
Feb-09-04  InspiredByMorphy: Prove it and supply your variations which are so "crushing" PP.
Feb-09-04  PinkPanther: <InspiredbyMorphy>
Well, I said it had to do as much with the fact that the people that play this opening are normally know-nothing patzers as anything else. Weak Player + Weak Opening = very slim chances to win the game.
Feb-10-04  InspiredByMorphy: The opening is only weak in the hands of a weak player. To call the opening weak is ridiculous, considering as I said before, Alekhine,Spassky, and Ivanchuk among others have used it with success. By the way the players I just mentioned are world class GM's.
Feb-10-04  Taidanii: I honestly would never use a defense that would immediately double a pawn. Especially on the D file. But, style is relative. To each his own, I suppose. Using that logic: I have no idea why you people argue over the best openings.
Feb-10-04  PinkPanther: <InspiredByMorphy>
Can somebody say surprise value?
Feb-10-04  InspiredByMorphy: If it "surprises" you, then you have something to learn, dont you?
Feb-10-04  PinkPanther: <InspiredByMorphy>
Here we go again...I doubt that Kasparov (or any other really strong player) when playing a game against somebody or a match against somebody, does a lot of research and analysis on the Bird's Defense...which essentially takes him out of his home preparation or at least out "the danger zone of kasparov and his million dollar novelties" come game time...this helps to neutralize Kasparov's opening advantage that he gets in nearly every game with white due to his superior knowledge of openings....that my friend is called "surprise value", the only thing this opening has going for it, is its obscurity.
Feb-11-04  little rott: I sure would like to play somebody
Feb-11-04  Resignation Trap: <little rott> <<I sure would like to play somebody>>

try this: ChessGames.com Help

Jul-20-04  tintin: The bird is good!?! Look at the popularity, games per thousand. It is around 1. This is only good for suprise value, even so, i still play it sometimes for fun. The Schielmann is better though.
Aug-12-04  HailM0rphy: Why is this load of birdcrap opening of the day??
Aug-12-04  suenteus po 147: <HailM0rphy> This is the opneing of the day to broaden people's horizons of opening play. Just because it may not be popular and just because it may be questionable does not mean that it shouldn't be considered. I, too, find it to be inferior. I always beat it when I'm white. HOWEVER, I've won a handful of games with it as black! It's fun, but I'm not the right player type to work it into my regular Ruy Defense systems.
Aug-12-04  Dick Brain: It does have some justification in principle: it exchanging an important defensive knight (the White knight on f3) for a Black knight on c6 that is out of the game as far as kingside attacks are concerned.
Aug-12-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  tpstar: It also breaks principles by moving the same piece twice in the opening and inviting doubled Pawns, but I agree how 3 ... Nd4 is a respectable defense and all 3. Bb5 players should be prepared to face it. <HM> remember the OE is left on for the Opening of the Day, therefore visitors without Premium Membership can explore to their hearts' content - for 24 hours. Here's a nice White win = Kasparov vs A Roizman, 1978
Aug-12-04  HailM0rphy: <tpsystar> <Membership can explore to their hearts' content - for 24 hours. > Explore this steaming pile of camel excrement for 24 hours!?!?

And how did you ever find a white win in this opening? I could've looked for days and still be gameless..

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