Caruana's Ruy Lopez: A White Repertoire for Club Players

[John Upham]

Colin Lyne has reviewed

Caruana's Ruy Lopez: A White Repertoire for Club Players

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[JustinHorton]

Black players playing for a win should consider this line seriously as it is a lot more interesting than the Berlin

OK Colin and what do you recommend against the Exchange

[Roger de Coverly]

No mention of the other Smyslov variation( 9. ..h6 instead of 9. .. Nb8 or 9. .. Bb7) . That's usually now considered obsolete although there are some transpositions to lines of the Zaitsev.

[Matt Mackenzie]

There's at least one other Smyslov variation for Black in the Ruy - the Chigorin line with Bd7 immediately after Qc7.

But that is if anything considered even more obsolete than the 9...h6 branch these days.

[Roger de Coverly]

There's at least one other Smyslov variation for Black in the Ruy - the Chigorin line with Bd7 immediately after Qc7.

Leonard's 1960s book had another Smyslov idea. That was to play .. Qd7 with the idea of defending f7 with Nc6-d8.

[Tim Spanton]

The book looks very interesting, but I found this wording from an early part of the sample pdf rather strange (my underlining in quoted part below):

After the moves 1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0 ♗e7 6.♖e1
b5 7.♗b3 Black has a very fundamental choice. Should he invite the
Marshall Attack with 7...0-0 or does he allow the Classical Ruy Lopez with
7...d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3, with a choice of various systems including the Zaitsev,
Chigorin and Breyer?

[Roger de Coverly]

After the moves 1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0 ♗e7 6.♖e1
b5 7.♗b3 Black has a very fundamental choice.

It's decision time for both players. Should Black threaten a Marshall with 7. .. 0-0 even if the intention is to play something else? Should White risk allowing a Marshall or play one of the many anti-Marshall ideas? It can be simpler for White if Black declares a lack of interest by playing 7 .. d6, White can head into anti-Marshall territory with 8 a4 anyway as suggested in the book or accept Black's choice of defence.

[Tim Spanton]

After the moves 1.e4 e5 2.♘f3 ♘c6 3.♗b5 a6 4.♗a4 ♘f6 5.0-0 ♗e7 6.♖e1
b5 7.♗b3 Black has a very fundamental choice.

It's decision time for both players. Should Black threaten a Marshall with 7. .. 0-0 even if the intention is to play something else? Should White risk allowing a Marshall or play one of the many anti-Marshall ideas? It can be simpler for White if Black declares a lack of interest by playing 7 .. d6, White can head into anti-Marshall territory with 8 a4 anyway as suggested in the book or accept Black's choice of defence.

Well ,yes, but Black is not inviting a "Marshall Attack" - he is threatening to play one.