C78 Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense
C78 holds nine named lines, all under the name Ruy Lopez. It leaves C70, a position of the same name, with 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O. Lines of 21 other codes continue from its position, the third-widest spread of the 40 Ruy Lopez codes. Of all other reference positions, the board of C79 (Morphy Defense, Steinitz Deferred) comes closest, two squares apart.
| # | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | e4 | e5 |
| 2 | Nf3 | Nc6 |
| 3 | Bb5 | a6 |
| 4 | Ba4 | Nf6 |
| 5 | O-O |
The move that completes C78
The reference line of C79 plays all of these moves and continues beyond them; C78 is the position reached at 5.O-O.
- 5.O-O White castles kingside, opening a line for the queen on d1, guarding the pawn on g2.
Lines filed under C78
All nine share their first nine plies, the whole reference line and then split four ways at Black’s move 5.
| Name | After the shared start | Plies | At the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | (the shared start itself) | 9 | White castled |
| Ruy Lopez: Brix Variation | 5...g6 | 10 | White castled |
| Ruy Lopez: Central Countergambit | 5...d5 | 10 | White castled |
| Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Møller Variation | 5...Bc5 | 10 | White castled |
| Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense | 5...b5 6.Bb3 d6 | 12 | White castled |
| Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Arkhangelsk Variation | 5...b5 6.Bb3 Bb7 | 12 | White castled |
| Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation | 5...b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 | 12 | White castled |
| Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Wing Attack | 5...b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.a4 | 13 | White castled |
| Ruy Lopez: Rabinovich Variation | 5...b5 6.Bb3 d6 7.Ng5 d5 8.exd5 Nd4 9.Re1 Bc5 10.Rxe5+ Kf8 | 20 | White +2, White castled |
The road to C78
- 1.e4 … 2...Nc6four earlier stops: B00, C20, C40, C44
- 3.Bb5C60 Ruy Lopez
- 3...a6C70 Morphy Defense
- 5.O-OC78
The position after 5.O-O
White has brought out the knight on f3 and bishop on a4; Black the knight on c6 and knight on f6. Black could capture with Nxe4. Undefended and attacked: the pawn on e4. Black is to move and has 30 legal moves.
Codes that branch off from C78
The reference lines of three other codes leave C78 from the position after 5.O-O, each with its own moves.
| Code | Moves | Reference line |
|---|---|---|
| C79 | 5...d6 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Steinitz Deferred |
| C80 | 5...Nxe4 | Ruy Lopez: Open |
| C84 | 5...Be7 | Ruy Lopez: Closed |
Closest boards in other codes
| Code | Line | Differs on |
|---|---|---|
| C72 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense | four squares: d6, f6, d7, g8 |
| C85 | Ruy Lopez: Closed, Delayed Exchange | four squares: a4, c6, e7, f8 |
| C86 | Ruy Lopez: Closed, Worrall Attack | four squares: d1, e2, e7, f8 |
| C69 | Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Normal Variation | five squares: a4, c6, f6, d7, g8 |
| C66 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Improved Steinitz Defense | six squares: a4, b5, a6, d6, a7, d7 |
| C67 | Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Rio Gambit Accepted | six squares: a4, e4, b5, a6, f6, a7 |
| C77 | Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation | six squares: e1, f1, g1, h1, d2, d3 |
Where lines continue from here
Besides the codes above, they belong to C81, C82, C83, C85, C86, C87, C88, C89, C90, C91, C92, C93, C94, C95, C96, C97, C98, C99.