5....b5 - Arkhangelsk Variation
This variation is an attempt by black to get strong diagonals for the bishops.
See Games for the Arkhangelsk Variation
3....Nf6 - Berlin Defense
At the moment this is probably the most played variation among grandmasters. It can often lead to similar positions from other variations. This variation has become a favorite of World Champion Vladimir Kramnik after he played it in 4 of the matches against Garry Kasparov in their World Championship matches in October 2000 and was reasonably successful with it. Not even Kasparov was able to gain much of an advantage from the opening as white.
See Games for the Berlin Defense
3....Nd4 - Bird's Defense
This variation from black is an attempt to avoid having the pinned knight which can be a bit of a problem for black. White now should exchange off the knight by playing 4. Nxd4 exd4; This position is a bit similar to the recommend line of the Blackburne Gambit response to the Giucco Piano but the white bishop is on b5 instead of c4.
See Games for the Bird's Defense
9....Nb8 - Breyer Variation
Black plays 9....Nb8; This variation is a bit unusual but the idea behind it is satisfactory, black re-develops the queen side knight to d7. The things that this variation allow that others don't are that in other variations the queen side knight can sometimes be quite weak as it can end up doing very little on a square such as a5, b7 or d8 after white plays d5. The queen side bishop can be more effective on b7 in this variation than in others and with the support of the knight on d7, black has a good attacking possibility on the centre now with these two extra pieces supporting the attack.
See Games for the Breyer Variation
3....Bc5 - Classical Defense/Cordel Defense
In this variation black puts the bishop on c5 instead of the more normal position of e7 that would happen in the main line of the Ruy Lopez. The good thing for black is that the bishop is in a more attacking position as it is attacking the f2 pawn and the centre, however white can gain a few advantages from this by trying to attack the bishop and the bishop isn't in such a good position to defend against the threat of Bg5.
See Games for the Classical Defense
9....Na5 - Chigorin Variation
This is probably the most common variation that black will play from a Closed Defense. The variation continues 9....Na5; 10. Bc2 c5; 11. d4 Qc7
See Games for the Chigorin Variation
3....a6; 4. Bxc6 - Exchange Variation
The exchange variation is quite common amongst beginners and intermediate players but isn't played that often by advanced players. The idea of this variation is that white gives black doubled pawns and will then attempt to keep the pawns like this while aiming for an endgame as quickly as possible. White will then have a slight advantage in the endgame because of this.
See Games for the Exchange Variation
3....a6; 4. Ba4 - Morphy Defense
In this variation white plays 4. Ba4 to retreat the bishop, this still allows a delayed exchange variation to be played but this is quite rare as it is considered a bit of a wasted move for white. The game would normally continue 4....Nf6; 5. O-O which leads to three main alternatives for black which are 5....b5; leading to the Arkhangelsk Variation, 5....Nxe4; which is called the Open Defense or 5....Be7; which is called the Closed Defense.
See Games for the Morphy Defense
5....Nxe4 - Open Defense
The Open Defense is a variation that is played by some grandmasters. It was former world champion Mikhail Tal's preferred variation. There are many extremely strange variations in the Open Defense, some of which are looked at below.
See Games for the Open Defense
3....f5 - Schliemann Gambit/Jaenisch Gambit
This is a bit like the Cordel Gambit mentioned above in the Classical Defence. It is dangerous for black to play and is not really considered that good a response to the Ruy Lopez. The recommended move for white is the Berger Variation of 4. Nc3 but 4. d3 is also playable.
See Games for the Schliemann Gambit
9....h6 - Smyslov's Variation/Zaitsev Variation
The idea behind this variation is similar to the idea behind the Breyer Variation. Black is looking to put pawns on g6 and h6, play Re8 and bring the bishop out to g7 via f8 and also play Bb7 like in the Breyer Variation.
See Games for the Smyslov's Variation
Ruy Lopez
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