25. Anti-Berlin with 4.d3 d6 5.c3

If Black chooses the solid 4...d6, White builds the perfect centre with c3 and Nbd2, preparing the central advance at the most opportune moment.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.c3 g6 6.O-O Bg7 7.Nbd2 O-O 8.Re1 a6 9.Ba4 b5 10.Bc2 Bb7 11.a4

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...Nf6 – The Berlin Defence: instead of ...a6 Black attacks e4 at once with the knight. It is one of the most solid defences against the Ruy Lopez and often leads to an early endgame.
4.d3 – White defends e4 with a pawn and avoids the Berlin endgame. The game becomes slow and manoeuvring, with the queens on the board.
4...d6 – Supports e5 solidly and prepares the fianchetto or ...Be7. Black gives up for now an active piece on c5.
5.c3 – Prepares d4 and gives the b5-bishop the retreat to a4 and c2.
5...g6 – Black prepares the fianchetto: the bishop on g7 will support e5 and press on the long diagonal if the centre opens.
6.O-O – White castles, while Black has yet to complete the fianchetto.
6...Bg7 – The bishop goes to g7: it protects the king and supports e5. If White pushes d4, the bishop will press on the centre.
7.Nbd2 – The knight goes to d2 for the manoeuvre towards f1 and g3 and defends e4.
7...O-O – Black puts the king in safety behind the g7-bishop and connects the f8-rook to the centre, ready for ...a6 and ...b5.
8.Re1 – Against the black fianchetto the rook on e1 protects e4 and opens the way for the d2-knight towards f1 and g3.
8...a6 – Asks the bishop to decide and prepares ...b5 to gain space on the queenside.
9.Ba4 – The bishop retreats, keeping the diagonal towards e8 and towards c2.
9...b5 – Gains space and repels the bishop, which will go to c2. The b5 pawn becomes a target of the a4 lever, however.
10.Bc2 – The bishop retreats to c2, where it defends e4 and looks towards the kingside.
10...Bb7 – The bishop goes to b7 and defends the a8-rook in view of the a4 lever. For now it is covered by the c6-knight.
11.a4 – White attacks b5: if Black exchanges, the a-file opens for the a1-rook; if it pushes ...b4, it gives the c4 square to the d2-knight.

How to exploit the position

Closed structure: Black has a solid fianchetto and space on the queenside, White has the a4 lever and the knight manoeuvre.

If Black pushes ...b4, the d2-knight goes to c4, an excellent square from which it hits d6 and e5.
Open the a-file with axb5 axb5 and exchange the rooks when the queen can enter on the queenside.
Complete Nf1-g3 to support the kingside.
Push d4 only when all pieces are ready, because the g7-bishop presses on the long diagonal.

25. Anti-Berlin with 4.d3 d6 5.c3

Move by move

How to exploit the position

Master tips

Patience and gaining space

Model games