FIDE Candidates Tournament 2021: Ruy Lopez

Let's analyse a bit recent top-GM Ruy Lopez games:

https://www.chess.com/events/2021-candidates-chess-tournament/01/Vachier_Lagrave_Maxime-Caruana_Fabiano

https://www.chess.com/events/2021-candidates-chess-tournament/02/Vachier_Lagrave_Maxime-Ding_Liren

https://www.chess.com/events/2021-candidates-chess-tournament/02/Nepomniachtchi_Ian-Grischuk_Alexander

https://www.chess.com/events/2021-candidates-chess-tournament/04/Vachier_Lagrave_Maxime-Grischuk_Alexander

https://www.chess.com/events/2021-candidates-chess-tournament/05/Grischuk_Alexander-Ding_Liren

https://www.chess.com/events/2021-candidates-chess-tournament/06/Grischuk_Alexander-Caruana_Fabiano

https://www.chess.com/events/2021-candidates-chess-tournament/06/Nepomniachtchi_Ian-Ding_Liren

Morphy defense 3...a6 (5 games)

Berlin defense 3...Nf6 (2 games)

Ruy Lopez: Closed [Morphy with 5...Be7] (3 games)

Morphy defense with 5...b5 (2 games)

Ruy Lopez: Closed

Main Line with 6. Re1 (2 games)

Anderssen / Martinez variation 6. d3 (1 game)

Ruy Lopez: Closed: Second Main Line with 7...O-O. The following position appeared in 2 games:

Never forget 8.h3

Meanwhile, 8. c3 is the most popular, leading to the Marshall attack.

8. a4 is called anti-Marshall.

Yes , an interesting topic. Where I left my chess studies at, many years ago

wow cool

One more Closed Ruy Lopez game:

https://www.chess.com/events/2021-candidates-chess-tournament/10/Caruana_Fabiano-Ding_Liren

featuring the anti-Marshall variation.

Very exciting !