11. Breyer Variation (9...Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7)
The Breyer is considered one of the most solid and profound defences against the Ruy Lopez. Black withdraws the knight from c6 to b8 only to place it again on d7, opening the c-file for the ...c5 push.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 Nb8 10.d4 Nbd7 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Bc2 Re8
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...d6 – Supports e5 and opens the diagonal of the c8-bishop. Black chooses the classical Closed line and avoids the Marshall Attack, which arises from ...O-O followed by ...d5.
- 8.c3 – Prepares d4 with the support of a pawn, so that after ...exd4 White can recapture with cxd4. It also gives the bishop the retreat to c2 against ...Na5.
- 8...O-O – Black castles and completes the easy part of development. Now it has to choose a plan: Breyer, Zaitsev, Chigorin or other defences.
- 9.h3 – A typical prophylactic move of the Ruy Lopez: it prevents ...Bg4, which would pin the f3-knight and increase the pressure on d4. Now White can push d4 calmly.
- 9...Nb8 – The Breyer Variation: the knight goes back to b8 to head for d7, where it supports e5 without blocking the c-pawn. This way Black can play ...c5 or ...c6 and put the bishop on b7.
- 10.d4 – With h3 already played, White occupies the centre with d4. The e5 pawn is now attacked, but the b8-knight will come back to defend it from d7.
- 10...Nbd7 – The knight arrives on d7 and supports e5. The c7 pawn is free to advance and the diagonal of the c8-bishop towards b7 is open.
- 11.Nbd2 – Develops the knight, defending e4: it is the first step of the Nbd2-f1-g3 manoeuvre, which takes the knight towards the kingside.
- 11...Bb7 – The bishop goes to the long diagonal and presses on e4. In the Breyer Black puts pressure on the centre before deciding on the structure.
- 12.Bc2 – The bishop retreats to c2: it defends e4 a second time and frees d2 for the Nf1-g3 manoeuvre. From the b1-h7 diagonal it also looks towards the black king.
- 12...Re8 – The rook goes to the e-file, supports e5 and frees f8 for the bishop, which will go to f8 or, after ...g6, to g7. Black completes the typical Breyer reorganisation.
How to exploit the position
A closed position rich in manoeuvres: White has more space thanks to d4-e4, Black is solid and prepares ...Bf8, ...g6 and ...c5. White must improve its pieces before opening the game.
- Complete the Nf1-g3 manoeuvre: the knight aims at f5 and h5 and supports a kingside attack.
- Push a4 against b5: if Black exchanges, the a-file opens for the a1-rook.
- When Black plays ...c5, consider d5 to close the centre and attack on the kingside with Nh2 and f4 or g4.
- Bg5 and Qd2 increase the pressure on the f6-knight, the defender of the king.
Master tips
Patience and the Nbd2-f1-g3 manoeuvre
Do not try to attack headlong against the Breyer: Black has an extremely elastic position. Your plan is to complete the Nbd2-f1-g3 knight manoeuvre, place the bishop on c2 and keep the tension in the centre.