ecocodes
Volume C · Open games and the French Defense‹ C73C75 ›
a1b2c3d4e5f6g7h8
Reference position · Black to move

C74 Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense

C74 holds three named lines, all under the name Ruy Lopez. It leaves C71, a position of the same name, with 5.c3. That final move, by the c-pawn, covers b4 and d4 and opens a line for the queen on d1 and the bishop on a4. Of all other reference positions, the board of C75 (Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense) comes closest, two squares apart.

Score sheet
#WhiteBlack
1e4e5
2Nf3Nc6
3Bb5a6
4Ba4d6
5c3

Lines filed under C74

All three share their first nine plies, the whole reference line.

NameAfter the shared startPliesAt the end
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense(the shared start itself)9
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense, Siesta Variation5...f510
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense5...f5 6.exf5 Bxf5 7.O-O13White castled

Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense, Siesta Variation

  1. 5...f5 The f-pawn advances two squares to f5, covering e4 and g4.

Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense

  1. 5...f5 The f-pawn advances two squares to f5, covering e4 and g4.
  2. 6.exf5 The e-pawn takes the pawn on f5, covering e6 and g6.
  3. 6...Bxf5 The bishop on c8 takes the pawn on f5, opening a line for the rook on a8 and the queen on d8, attacking the knight on b1.
  4. 7.O-O White castles kingside, opening a line for the queen on d1, guarding the pawn on g2.

The road to C74

  1. 1.e4 … 3.Bb5five earlier stops: B00, C20, C40, C44, C60
  2. 3...a6C70 Morphy Defense
  3. 4...d6C71 Modern Steinitz Defense
  4. 5.c3C74

The position after 5.c3

White has brought out the knight on f3 and bishop on a4; Black the knight on c6. Black is to move and has 28 legal moves.

WhiteBlackMaterial (pawn units)3939Minor pieces developed21Moves spent on pawns23Pawns on d4, e4, d5, e511Squares attacked in the other half66not castlednot castled

Codes that branch off from C74

The reference lines of one other code leave C74 from the position after 5.c3, each with its own moves.

CodeMovesReference line
C755...Bd7Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense

Closest boards in other codes

CodeLineDiffers on
C62Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defensesix squares: c2, c3, a4, b5, a6, a7
C68Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variationsix squares: c2, c3, a4, c6, d6, d7
C70Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defensesix squares: c2, c3, a4, b5, d6, d7
C72Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defensesix squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, c2, c3
C76Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense, Fianchetto Variationsix squares: d2, d4, g6, d7, g7, c8
C73Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defenseseven squares: c2, d2, c3, a4, d4, c6, b7
C41Philidor Defenseeight squares: f1, c2, c3, a4, a6, c6, a7, b8

Where lines continue from here

Two named lines filed under other codes pass through the position after 5.c3. All of them belong to the codes listed above.

Volume C

  1. 00
  2. 01
  3. 02
  4. 03
  5. 04
  6. 05
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  98. 97
  99. 98
  100. 99

Open this line in the finderAll Ruy Lopez codes