Berlin Defence: 4.O-O Nxe4 (Berlin Wall) is variation 2 of 6 in the Ruy Lopez course, a intermediate opening course for White (ECO C67). It runs 26 moves and begins 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 …. Black takes on e4 and heads for the famous Berlin endgame: queens are traded early, Black's king walks to e8 and White has a kingside pawn majority and space with e5. If you want to avoid this, 4.d3 is a good alternative. In the lesson every move is explained on a board and then drilled; it is free.
Move by move
1. e4 – Takes the centre.
1... e5 – Black claims an equal share.
2. Nf3 – Develops and attacks e5.
2... Nc6 – Defends e5.
3. Bb5 – Pressure on the e5 pawn's defender.
3... Nf6 – The Berlin: Black counter-attacks e4 at once.
4. O-O – Castles and offers the e4 pawn, because White can win it back with tempo.
4... Nxe4 – Black accepts the pawn.
5. d4 – Opens the centre and attacks e5; White will regain the pawn.
5... Nd6 – The knight attacks the b5 bishop and gets out of the way.
6. Bxc6 – Trades the attacked bishop and doubles Black's c-pawns.
6... dxc6 – Recaptures toward the centre, opening lines for Black's bishops.
7. dxe5 – Regains the pawn with tempo on the d6 knight.
7... Nf5 – The knight's best square; it eyes d4 and e7 and cannot be kicked easily.
8. Qxd8+ – White trades queens: Black loses the right to castle, and White's kingside majority counts in an endgame.
8... Kxd8 – Forced; the king will walk to e8 or c8.
The lesson goes on for 10 more moves, each with its explanation.
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