The Ruy Lopez Move By Move
This is a new series which provides an ideal platform to study chess openings. By continually challenging the reader to answer probing questions throughout the book, the move by move format greatly encourages the learning and practising of vital skills just as much as the traditional assimilation of opening knowledge. Carefully selected questions and answers are designed to keep you actively involved and allow you to monitor your progress as you learn. This is an excellent way to study any chess opening and at the same time improve your general chess skills and knowledge.

In this book, Grandmaster Neil McDonald studies one of the most important openings of all, the Ruy Lopez. This famous opening enjoys a long and distinguished history and is still widely regarded as White's strongest choice after 1 e4 e5. McDonald shares his experience and knowledge of the Lopez, examines the main ideas for both sides and offers answers to the key questions.

• Essential guidance and training in the Ruy Lopez
• Important ideas absorbed by continued practice
• Covers both mainline and d3 repertoire options for White

Content:
005 Series Foreword

007 Introduction

011 1. White Plays d2-d3

011 A plan to get you started with the Ruy Lopez

012 White's restrained centre

013 The restrained centre versus a Closed Lopez set-up

033 The restrained centre versus a ...Bc5 (Möller) set-up

039 The restrained centre versus a ...Bb7 (Archangelsk) set-up

045 The restrained centre versus the Steinitz Deferred

059 The restrained centre versus the Berlin Defence

A restrained line against the Schliemann Defence 65

071 2. White Plays d2-d4

072 The Chigorin Variation

099 The Breyer Variation

123 The Karpov Variation

134 The Zaitsev Variation

146 The Smyslov Variation

151 The Steinitz Deferred and similar centre-holding ideas

158 3. Black plays ...Bc5

160 The Classical (or Cordel) Defence

168 The Berlin with ...Bc5

179 The Möller Defence

189 Bird's Defence

194 4. White's e5 Pawn Centre

195 The Berlin Defence with 4 0-0 Nxe4 5 d4 Be7

202 The Berlin Endgame

225 The Open Variation

255 5. Gambit Lines

255 The Schliemann Defence

279 The Steinitz Deferred: Siesta Variation

284 The Gajewski Gambit in the Chigorin

291 The Marshall Attack

301 The Anti-Marshall with 8 h3

311 Index of Variations

316 Index of Complete Games