C76 Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense, Fianchetto Variation
C76 holds a single named line. It leaves C60 (Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense) with 4.c3 a6 5.Ba4 d6 6.d4 Bd7. White, to move in that position, has 37 legal moves, the fourth-highest count of the 40 Ruy Lopez codes. That final move, by the bishop, opens a line for the rook on a8 and the queen on d8.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | e5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | Nc6 |
| 3 | Bb5 | g6 |
| 4 | c3 | a6 |
| 5 | Ba4 | d6 |
| 6 | d4 | Bd7 |
Moves only C76 plays
Same as C60 up to 3.Bb5, then:
- 3...g6 The g-pawn advances to g6, covering f5 and h5, opening a line for the bishop on f8.
- 4.c3 The c-pawn advances to c3, covering b4 and d4, opening a line for the queen on d1.
- 4...a6 The a-pawn advances to a6, covering b5, opening a line for the rook on a8, attacking the bishop on b5.
- 5.Ba4 The bishop goes from b5 to a4, attacking the knight on c6.
- 5...d6 The d-pawn advances to d6, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c8 and the queen on d8.
- 6.d4 The d-pawn advances two squares to d4, covering c5 and e5, opening a line for the bishop on c1 and the queen on d1.
- 6...Bd7 The bishop leaves c8 for d7, opening a line for the rook on a8 and the queen on d8.
The road to C76
- 1.e4 … 2...Nc6four earlier stops: B00, C20, C40, C44
- 3.Bb5C60 Ruy Lopez
- 3...g6C60 Fianchetto Defense
- 6...Bd7C76
The position after 6...Bd7
White has brought out the knight on f3 and bishop on a4; Black the knight on c6 and bishop on d7. White could capture with Bxc6, Nxe5, dxe5.
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| C75 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense | four squares: d2, d4, g6, g7 |
| C74 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense | six squares: d2, d4, g6, d7, g7, c8 |
| C71 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense | eight squares: c2, d2, c3, d4, g6, d7, g7, c8 |
| C73 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense | nine squares: c2, c3, a4, c6, g6, b7, d7, g7 … |
| C68 | Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation | 11 squares: c2, d2, c3, a4, d4, c6, d6, g6 … |
| C70 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 11 squares: c2, d2, c3, a4, d4, b5, d6, g6 … |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation | 11 squares: c2, c3, d3, d4, d6, f6, g6, d7 … |