22. Berlin Endgame with the Immediate Check 9.Rd1+
By playing 9.Rd1+ at once, White gains a tempo by putting the black king under fire before it can organise its defences.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.Rd1+ Ke8 10.h3 h5 11.Nc3 Be7 12.Bg5 Be6
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.O-O – White castles without defending e4: if Black takes it, the e-file and the d4 push allow White to regain the pawn with the black king still in the centre.
- 4...Nxe4 – Black takes e4: this is the main line of the Berlin. White cannot recover at once with Re1 because the knight retreats to d6 with tempo on the bishop.
- 5.d4 – The strongest reply: it opens the centre and threatens Re1 and d5. The e4-knight must move, because on the e-file the black king is vulnerable.
- 5...Nd6 – The knight retreats, attacking the b5-bishop and controlling the c4 and e4 squares. Black will give the pawn back, but without exposing the king on the e-file.
- 6.Bxc6 – White exchanges the bishop instead of retreating it: after 6.Ba4 exd4 Black would be comfortable. With the exchange we reach the Berlin Wall structure.
- 6...dxc6 – Recaptures towards the outside to open the diagonal of the c8-bishop and the d-file. The doubled c-pawns are the price of the bishop pair.
- 7.dxe5 – Regains the pawn and attacks the d6-knight. The e5 pawn gains space and will be the basis of White's plan in the endgame.
- 7...Nf5 – The knight goes to f5, the only active square: from here it controls d4, e7 and h4 and cannot easily be driven away. Now the queens face each other on the d-file.
- 8.Qxd8+ – White exchanges queens and the black king must recapture, losing the right to castle: this is the Berlin Wall endgame, made famous by the 2000 Kasparov–Kramnik match.
- 8...Kxd8 – Forced recapture with the king, which loses castling. Without queens the king in the centre is not in danger and Black can tuck it away on e8 or c8.
- 9.Rd1+ – Check on the open file: the rook is activated at once and the black king must choose where to stand, before White develops the queenside.
- 9...Ke8 – The king returns to e8, away from the d-file occupied by the white rook. Black will complete development with ...Be7 and ...Be6.
- 10.h3 – Prepares g4 against the f5-knight and takes the g4 square away from Black's bishop and knight.
- 10...h5 – Black prevents g4: with the pawn on h5, the g4 push would allow ...hxg4, opening the h-file. The f5-knight remains stable.
- 11.Nc3 – Develops the knight towards e4 and covers d5. White can no longer chase the f5-knight with g4 and aims at development.
- 11...Be7 – Develops the bishop and prepares to connect the rooks. The e7-bishop also controls g5.
- 12.Bg5 – Offers the exchange of the dark-squared bishops: without the e7-bishop Black loses the bishop pair, one of its main advantages in the endgame.
- 12...Be6 – Black develops the last minor piece and connects the rooks: if Bxe7 it will recapture with the king or the knight.
How to exploit the position
Berlin endgame with the rook already on d1: Black has blocked g4 with ...h5 and completed development; White can take away its bishop pair.
- Exchange the bishops with Bxe7: after the exchange Black has only the e6-bishop and the e5 pawn is more stable.
- Ng5 hits the e6-bishop and the f7 square, while Ne4 aims at c5 and f6.
- Double on the d-file with Rd2 and Rad1 to control the d7 and d8 squares.
- The h5 pawn is a possible target: Ng5 and the king on h2 can attack it in the endgame.
Master tips
Exploiting the open d-file
After 9.Rd1+ Ke8 10.h3 h5 11.Nc3 the rook on d1 controls the open file and restricts the black king.