ECO C89 · Ruy Lopez

Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main Line, Spassky Variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d4 Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Be3 Bg4 16. Qd3 Rae8 17. Nd2 Re6 18. a4 Qh5

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White to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

19. Nf1+0.10

The position is roughly equal. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main Line, Spassky Variation (C89), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d4 Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Be3 Bg4 16. Qd3 Rae8 17. Nd2 Re6 18. a4 Qh5, Stockfish 18 recommends 19. Nf1 for White. The position is roughly equal (+0.10).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.1019. Nf1 Bf5 20. Qd2 Be4 21. Bd1 Qf5 22. Qe2 Nf6 23. Bd2 c5
  2. +0.0419. axb5 axb5 20. Ne4 Bf5 21. Bd2 Rxe4 22. Rxe4 Nf6 23. f3 Qg6
  3. 0.0019. Ne4 Bf5 20. Bd2 Rxe4 21. Rxe4 Qg6 22. Bc2 Nf6 23. f3 Bxg3

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main Line, Spassky Variation?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d4 Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Be3 Bg4 16. Qd3 Rae8 17. Nd2 Re6 18. a4 Qh5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 19. Nf1 for White, continuing Bf5 20. Qd2 Be4 21. Bd1 Qf5 22. Qe2 Nf6 23. Bd2 c5. The position is roughly equal (+0.10). The next best moves are 19. axb5 (+0.04) and 19. Ne4 (0.00).
Is the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main Line, Spassky Variation a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.10: the position is roughly equal. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Main Line, Spassky Variation?
C89. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; C is the volume for open games and the French Defense.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).