In before the lock.
What next in the Ruy Lopez?
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Aug 11, 2017
0
#3
According to the data base I looked in black can actually end up better after these moves....
universityofpawns wrote:
According to the data base I looked in black can actually end up better after these moves....
With all due respect, that's clearly not correct. What I think you mean is that black has a good score after these moves. This can often happen when there are very few games in a database; obviously if all the games in the Sinquefield Cup had started at this position, white would have a solid plus score. In very low sample size, anything is possible. Black is definitely not better, and not equal either.
Hello,
A good rule of thumb for White in the Ruy Lopez is to meet these irregular defenses - Cordel/Classical (3 ... Bc5), Cozio (3 ... Nge7), & 3 ... g6 - with 4. 0-0. You could even meet the Berlin Defense (3 ... Nf6) with 4. 0-0 if that matches your style. For the Morphy Defense (3 ... a6), you must choose between 4. Ba4 or 4. Bxc6 (Exchange). For the Steinitz Defense (3 ... d6), you could play 4. 0-0 or an immediate 4. d4. For the Schliemann Defense (3 ... f5), you could play the active 4. Nc3 or the quiet 4. d3. For the Bird Defense (3 ... Nd4), you should play 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. 0-0.
3 ... Qe7 is not a good move for Black. It develops the Queen early and blocks the Bf8 from getting out. Perhaps Black intends ... d6 & ... Bd7 & ... 0-0-0 with opposite side castling, but I would not spend too much time preparing to meet the rare 3 ... Qe7 in OTB play. Best wishes.
Aug 17, 2017
0
#7
tpstar wrote:
Hello,
A good rule of thumb for White in the Ruy Lopez is to meet these irregular defenses - Cordel/Classical (3 ... Bc5), Cozio (3 ... Nge7), & 3 ... g6 - with 4. 0-0. You could even meet the Berlin Defense (3 ... Nf6) with 4. 0-0 if that matches your style. For the Morphy Defense (3 ... a6), you must choose between 4. Ba4 or 4. Bxc6 (Exchange). For the Steinitz Defense (3 ... d6), you could play 4. 0-0 or an immediate 4. d4. For the Schliemann Defense (3 ... f5), you could play the active 4. Nc3 or the quiet 4. d3. For the Bird Defense (3 ... Nd4), you should play 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. 0-0.
3 ... Qe7 is not a good move for Black. It develops the Queen early and blocks the Bf8 from getting out. Perhaps Black intends ... d6 & ... Bd7 & ... 0-0-0 with opposite side castling, but I would not spend too much time preparing to meet the rare 3 ... Qe7 in OTB play. Best wishes.
Thank you for your very thought out and detailed answer, much appreciated!
Sometimes I face this move (Qe7) in the Ruy Lopez. I know that castling is a good move here but it seems like there should be a stronger move to punish black's inaccurate play? Any ideas? Thanks.