Ruy Lopez: Schliemann Defense, Classical Variation is a chess opening with the ECO code C63, part of the Ruy Lopez family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4 d5 6. Nxe5 dxe4 7. Nxc6 Qg5. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 14 moves it is White to move. After the last move White is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
2. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
2... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
3. Bb5 – White plays the bishop to b5
3... f5 – Black plays the pawn to f5
4. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
4... fxe4 – Black captures on e4 with the f-pawn
5. Nxe4 – White takes on e4 with the knight
5... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
6. Nxe5 – White takes on e5 with the knight
6... dxe4 – Black captures on e4 with the d-pawn
The line goes on for 2 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
About the Ruy Lopez
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6, White plays 3.Bb5 to attack the knight that defends e5. It is one of the oldest and richest openings.
White builds slow pressure: O-O, Re1, c3 and then d4 to win the centre.
Black usually kicks the bishop with ...a6 and ...b5; it retreats to a4 and then b3.
Bxc6 does not win e5 at once, because Black wins the pawn back with ...Qd4 or ...Qg5.
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