Ruy Lopez - Neo Archangelsk?

I believe it is to get away from the Pinn. Which the Pinn is mightier than the sword.

In database of 2200+  8...Rb8 is most played move

second most played move is 8...Bg4

third most played move is 8...Bb7

@ Stavros_34:  I think I'd be more likely to play ..Bg4 as well rather than ..Rb8, so it's probably unlikely that I'd come across these lines in practice.

@ X_PLAYER_J_X:  Re. your line in post #24: what about 14..Nf6?  Doesn't sem like White can cause too much damage.  Also, in the position after 16.Qxg4, White has 2 minor pieces for rook & pawn (although the e6 pawn is looking vulnerable), so I wouldn't think it's an outright win.

Time4Tea, I think at the end of the exf7 line that Be3-d4 and Qf3-h3 is hard to stop. At the end of the Nxf7 line, e5!! wins easily for White exploiting the pin to play e6

Hi AKAL1. I agree that 17.e5!! at the end of the Nxf7 line is a great move. Looks like 15..Qe7 is definitely a better option for Black there, then! 

In the exf7 line, I think Be3-d4 could perhaps be prevented by ..Bb6?  Also, Black's light bishop is currently preventing White's Queen from using h3. I'd probably look to play ..h6 and knock the knight off of g5 pretty quickly .. still, I agree it doesn't seem very clear whether Black can hold the position and deal with the pawn on f7.

@Time4Tea

I don't get it, why did you abandon 13...Nxe5 as the main try in that exchange sac sideline? The best White can do is 14. f4 Nc4 15. Bxc4 bxc4 16. Qa4+ when Black can return some of the material with either 16...Rb5 or 16...c6.

I wonder about 15.Qh5.

15. Qh5 Bb6+ 16. Kh1 Qe7, now what? 17. e5 d5 18. Bc2 g6 19. Qh6 just does not look like enough for the material. 17. Na3 g6 18. Qh6 f6 is an attempted to bleed the attack white. 19. Nxc4 bxc4 20. Bxc4 fxg5 is a whole rook without a forced mate in sight.

Yes the attack is difficult to defend against, yes Black has to leave his king in the center and may have to evacuate it by hand to the queenside, but 13...Nxe5 has to be the critical test of White's idea. The whole discussion is academic since 13. Bg5 f6 14. exf6 gxf6 should give White more compensation.

So this is the position we are talking about. It is very interesting.

I believe many people already mentioned 13.Bg5

I mean its a nice continuation that ruins blacks pawn structure makes it harder to castle for them. It also develops another piece. I believe that line is probably better over all.

We was just messing around with other continuations.

I mean 13.Ng5 seems rather cheeky lol. Its like a Fried Liver type of thing in the Ruy Lopez. Which is like weird lol. That like never happens in the Ruy Lopez lol. I thought it was interesting to say the least.

How many people could say they tryed to do a Fried Liver in the Ruy Lopez. I mean I would do it just to say that expression alone lol. Its a weird position.

Nakamura just played this line in the Norway tournament the other day... So I guess it does get played at the top levels.

Cool, thanks - I'll definitely check out that game.  He probably saw my forum topic and thought he'd give it a try ... 

It's called the Spanish Anderssen variation of the Ruy Lopez.

I finally found the answer to Time4Tea Post.

I completely forgot about this thread, until I saw his name pop up.

Commenter #3 was on right track as to why players don’t play the Neo Angel move order.

The Neo-Arch Angel move order can allow white to gain a tempo.

This is why players play Regular Arch Angel move order.

Players often respond to Bc5 with c3

Players often respond to Bb7 with d3

The above shows Neo move order where the White Bishop has an opportunity of retreating from a4 to c2 in a single move. Some players might not do it, but others can try it to save tempo. Now look at same position with Regular move order.

When Black plays b5, white doesn’t have option to go from a4 to c2 in single move.

This is why most people don’t use the Neo move order.

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Looks like OP quit game in 2020 before his answered could get revealed, but yeah comment or #3 was in the right track.