Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6
What Is The Berlin Defense?
3...Nf6 hits e4 at once rather than propping up e5. That works because 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5 Qd4 regains the pawn, so White never gets a free capture. The main line runs 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8, the Berlin Wall: queens off by move eight, Black's king stuck on d8, and the two bishops in Black's hands.
The exposed king is not the point. Black's doubled c-pawns leave the queenside majority unable to produce a passed pawn, while White's healthy kingside four against three produces one, and that race against the bishop pair decides the game. Trade pieces and push the kingside as White; open lines and activate both bishops as Black. If you prefer queens on the board, 4.d3 sidesteps the whole endgame.
What Do Players Choose At The Decision Point?
| Move | Share | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a6 | 23% | 3,260 | |
| Nf6 | 22% | 3,028 | |
| d6 | 22% | 3,002 | |
| Bc5 | 13% | 1,854 |
How Does Play Continue From Here?
| Move | Share | Games | |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-O | 37% | 1,123 | |
| Bxc6 | 23% | 714 | |
| d3 | 23% | 691 | |
| Nc3 | 12% | 373 |
The Named Lines Of The Berlin Defense
| Line | Moves |
|---|---|
| Anti-Berlin Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 |
| Anti-Berlin Variation, Mortimer Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Ne7 |
| Improved Steinitz Defense | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 |
| Beverwijk Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Bc5 |
| Fishing Pole Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Ng4 |
| Rio Gambit Accepted | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 |
| Anti-Berlin Variation, Duras Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.c4 |
| Anti-Berlin Variation, Kaufmann Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Be3 |
| Anti-Berlin Variation, Anderssen Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.Bxc6+ |
| Nyholm Attack | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O |
| Anti-Berlin Variation, Mortimer Trap | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Ne7 5.Nxe5 c6 |
| Rosenthal Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 a6 |
| Rio de Janeiro Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 Nd6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.dxe5 Nb7 9.Nc3 O-O 10.Re1 Nc5 11.Nd4 Ne6 12.Be3 Nxd4 13.Bxd4 c5 |
| l'Hermet Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 |
| Minckwitz Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.dxe5 |
| Hedgehog Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 |
| Closed Wolf Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 exd4 |
| Trifunovic Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 d5 |
| Closed Bernstein Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Bg5 |
| Closed Showalter Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Bxc6 |
| Tarrasch Trap | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.d4 Bd7 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.O-O Be7 7.Re1 O-O |
| l'Hermet Variation, Westerinen Line | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Ne4 |
| Cordel Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 Nd6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.dxe5 Nf5 |
| l'Hermet Variation, Berlin Wall Defense | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 |
| Pillsbury Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 Nd6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.dxe5 Nb7 9.b3 |
| Zukertort Variation | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 Nd6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.dxe5 Nb7 9.c4 |
| Winawer Attack | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Be7 6.Qe2 Nd6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.dxe5 Nb7 9.Nd4 |
| Berlin Wall | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Nc3 Bd7 |