36. Anti-Marshall 8.a4 with the Reply 8...Bb7
If Black supports b5 by developing the bishop to b7, White opens the a-file or manoeuvres with d3 and Nc3, keeping superior dynamic control.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.a4 Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.Nc3 b4 11.Ne2 Na5 12.Ba2 c5
Move by move
- 1.e4 – White takes the centre and opens the diagonals for the queen and the f1-bishop. In the Ruy Lopez this pawn will often be at the heart of the fight: Black will attack it with ...Nf6 and, in the Open Variation, will even capture it with ...Nxe4.
- 1...e5 – Black answers symmetrically: it contests d4 and f4, prevents e4-e5 and frees the f8-bishop. From here White will build the whole Ruy Lopez on pressure against this pawn.
- 2.Nf3 – Develops the knight with a direct attack on the e5 pawn, which now has to be defended. The knight also prepares kingside castling and supports a future d2-d4 push.
- 2...Nc6 – Defends e5 while developing a piece and controlling d4. This very knight, the only defender of e5, will be the target of White's next move.
- 3.Bb5 – The Ruy Lopez: the bishop attacks the c6-knight, the defender of e5. There is no immediate threat yet (Bxc6 dxc6 Nxe5 Qd4 regains the pawn), but the pressure on c6 will last throughout the opening.
- 3...a6 – Morphy's move: it asks the bishop to decide right away. After 4.Ba4 Black can break the pin with ...b5 whenever it likes; after 4.Bxc6 it gets the bishop pair.
- 4.Ba4 – The bishop retreats but keeps the pressure on c6: the threat of Bxc6 followed by Nxe5 will come back once White has castled. Black can break the diagonal with ...b5 whenever it wants.
- 4...Nf6 – Develops the knight attacking e4. This is the main move: it leads to the Closed Ruy Lopez with ...Be7 or to the Open Variation with ...Nxe4.
- 5.O-O – Castles without defending e4: if Black takes it with ...Nxe4, White regains it with Re1 or d4, exploiting the black king still in the centre.
- 5...Be7 – The Closed Ruy Lopez: Black does not take e4 and develops the bishop to castle. From e7 it protects the king and leaves the f6 square free for the knight.
- 6.Re1 – The rook defends e4. Now White really threatens Bxc6 dxc6 Nxe5, because the recovery ...Qd4 no longer works with e4 protected.
- 6...b5 – Black drives the bishop away from a4 and solves the threat on c6. It gains space on the queenside, but the b5 pawn will become a target for a2-a4.
- 7.Bb3 – The bishop retreats to the a2-g8 diagonal, from where it aims at f7 and supports a future d4 push. It is the natural square in the Closed Ruy Lopez.
- 7...O-O – Black castles before deciding the centre: if White plays 8.c3, Black can answer 8...d5, the Marshall Attack. That is why White has the Anti-Marshall moves available.
- 8.a4 – The most used Anti-Marshall: instead of c3 White attacks b5 at once. If Black plays 8...d5, the tension on the queenside makes the gambit less effective.
- 8...Bb7 – Against 8.a4 the bishop goes to b7: it defends the a8-rook, so axb5 axb5 Rxa8 wins nothing, and presses on e4 behind the c6-knight.
- 9.d3 – Defends e4 and prepares development with Nc3 or Nbd2.
- 9...d6 – With the bishop already on b7 Black supports e5 and prepares ...b4 or ...Na5 depending on how White develops the b1-knight.
- 10.Nc3 – The knight attacks b5 together with the a4 pawn: Black must decide how to defend it.
- 10...b4 – Black chases the knight and closes the queenside, at the cost of giving up the c4 square.
- 11.Ne2 – The knight retreats to e2 to go to g3, on the kingside.
- 11...Na5 – With the white knight on e2 the black knight goes to a5 and attacks the b3-bishop, which must choose between a2 and the exchange.
- 12.Ba2 – The bishop retreats to a2 and stays on the a2-g8 diagonal, aiming at f7.
- 12...c5 – Black gains space on the queenside and supports b4. The a5-knight can return to c6.
How to exploit the position
Closed structure: Black has space on the queenside, White a good position on the kingside and the a2-bishop aimed at f7.
- Bring the e2-knight to g3 and then to f5.
- Prepare c3 to attack b4 and open the c-file.
- Nh4-f5 or Ng5 exploit the a2-bishop, which aims at f7.
- Keep e4 protected with d3 and Re1 against the pressure of the b7-bishop.
Master tips
Dominating the a-file
After 8...Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.Nc3, Black must constantly worry about the tension between the a4 and b5 pawns.