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Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...d6/5. d4

Modern Steinitz Defense
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Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. d4
Parent: Ruy Lopez, Morphy Defence

Ruy Lopez, Deferred Steinitz Defense, 5. d4?

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This 5. d4? move is premature; White had to set up the d4 move with 5. c3 or 5. O-O instead. After 5...b5!, looking to kick away the bishop and break the pin on the c6 knight, White is going to lose an important center pawn.

White could try 6. d5, but after 6...bxa4 7. dxc6 Ne7, White has only opened up the b-file for Black's rook and Black will win the pawn on c6 shortly.

The other, more mainline approach is 6. Bb3, after which Black wins a pawn with 6...Nxd4. After 7. Nxd4 exd4, White cannot win the pawn back with 8. Qxd4?? because of the well-known Noah's Ark Trap with 8...c5 9. Qsomewhere c4, trapping White's light-squared bishop. So after 7. Nxd4 exd4, White must play a line such as 8. a4, looking to undermine Black's queenside; however, this has an easy response with 8...Bb7!, putting the bishop on the powerful long diagonal and protecting the a8 rook.

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v · t · e
Chess Opening Theory
1. e4 e5
Open game
2. Nf3
With 2...Nc6:
  • Four knights ( )
  • Italian game ( )
  • Spanish game ( )

With other 2nd moves:

2. Other
1. e4 c5
Sicilian defence
1. e4 ...other: