53. Schliemann: the Reply 4...Nf6 and the Pinned e4 Pawn

Against 4...Nf6 White takes 5.exf5. After 5...e4 the move 6.Qe2 pins the e4 pawn to the king, and with d3 and dxe4 White dismantles Black's centre, leaving the black king exposed on the e-file.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.exf5 e4 6.Qe2 d5 7.d3 Bxf5 8.dxe4

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...f5 – The Schliemann Gambit: Black attacks e4 at once and opens the f-file. It is aggressive, but it weakens the e8-h5 diagonal and the kingside.
4.Nc3 – Develops the knight and defends e4: it is the main reply and the strongest.
4...Nf6 – Black develops the knight instead of taking on e4, but leaves the f5 pawn en prise.
5.exf5 – White takes the f5 pawn left en prise: now Black must find compensation with ...e4.
5...e4 – The pawn attacks the f3-knight and gains space.
6.Qe2 – The queen pins the e4 pawn to the e8-king: ...exf3 is not possible.
6...d5 – The d5 pawn supports e4, pinned by the e2-queen, and frees the c8-bishop, which will be able to retake on f5.
7.d3 – Attacks e4 a second time and frees the c1-bishop.
7...Bxf5 – Black regains the pawn and defends e4 with the bishop.
8.dxe4 – White takes e4. Black's centre dissolves and the black king stays on the e-file facing the e2-queen.

How to exploit the position

Black can recapture on e4, but its king stays on the e-file facing the e2-queen and the white pieces are more active. The pinned e4 pawn can never take the f3-knight.

After ...dxe4 the pawn is still pinned: bring the knight to d4 to hit the f5-bishop and the c6-knight.
Bg5 pins the f6-knight and increases the pressure on e4.
Castle and bring a rook to the d-file or the e-file.
Bxc6+ at the right moment leaves Black with weak pawns on the queenside.

Master tips

The pinned e4 pawn

After 4...Nf6 5.exf5 e4 6.Qe2 the e4 pawn is pinned to the king and cannot take the f3-knight.