21. The Classical Berlin Endgame (9.h3 Ke8 10.Nc3)
The Berlin Wall forcibly leads to an early king-and-minor-piece endgame. Black loses the right to castle but has the bishop pair; White has a 4 vs 3 majority on the kingside and an impeccable pawn structure.
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.h3 Ke8 10.Nc3 Be7 11.Bf4
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.h3 – Prepares g4 to chase the f5-knight and takes the g4 square away from Black's bishop and knight. It is the most used move in the Berlin endgame.
- 9...Ke8 – The king returns to e8 to leave the d-file free and connect the rooks more easily after the development of the f8-bishop.
- 10.Nc3 – Develops the knight towards e4, from where it will aim at f6, c5 and d6. It also covers the d5 and e4 squares.
- 10...Be7 – Develops the bishop and prepares to connect the rooks. From e7 Black also controls g5 and h4.
- 11.Bf4 – Develops the bishop supporting e5 and connects the rooks: White is ready for Rad1 and Rfe1.
How to exploit the position
Classical Berlin endgame: White has the healthy kingside majority and the e5 pawn that takes space; Black has the bishop pair and a very solid position.
- Occupy the d-file with Rad1 and Rfe1 to control the entry squares and restrict the black king.
- The c3-knight goes to e4, from where it aims at f6, c5 and g5.
- With h3 already played, consider g4 to chase the f5-knight, but only when the f4 square and the e5 pawn remain protected.
- Later mobilise the majority with f4 and g4 to create a passed pawn.
Master tips
The plan in the Berlin endgame
After 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.h3 Ke8 10.Nc3 White's plan is: develop Bf4 or Be3, occupy the d-file with the rooks and mobilise the kingside majority.