Robert Ris’ Fast and Furious: Ruy Lopez Open Variation

by Robert Ris
6/10/2021 – This week, the well-known Dutch trainer Robert Ris takes a look at new developments in an old opening: the Open Ruy Lopez. Bogdan Deac used this line to surprisingly win with Black against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the Superbet Chess Classic Tournament. | "Fast and Furious" is available on-demand with a ChessBase Premium Account. You can register a Premium account here.
Pattern recognition is an important tool in modern chess, as it helps you to understand better the characteristics of a position. Particularly when you have been confronted with a surprise opening system played by your opponent, it helps when you can just

The biggest upset of the week was Bogdan Deac's victory with the black pieces against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the Superbet Chess Classic Tournament in Bucharest, and therefore it is the right time to look at the most recent developments in the Open Variation (5...Nxe4) of the Ruy Lopez.

The young Romanian player was under severe pressure, but showed great defensive skills. After repeating once, MVL decided to go for it by playing 25.g4! which generates new threats against the black king. Deac responded with the stubborn 25...b3!, but do you see what is wrong with the moves 25...Rae8 and 25...Kh8?

 
M. Vachier-Lagrave - B. Deac, Superbet Chess Classic Tournament, Bucharest 2021
Position after 25.g4

You can move the pieces on the live diagram!

Interestingly, the exact same line was repeated this week in another game between the young GMs Ter Sahakian and Sevian in a round robin in Armenia, so we will discuss that game as well to complete the update on the current status of this particular variation (9.Nbd2 & 12.exf6) in the Open Ruy Lopez.

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Robert is an International Master who mostly spends his time training and coaching talented youngsters. On the PlayChess server The Fast and the Furious is a popular show where he explains sharp opening lines for a wider audience. He is also a well-known ChessBase author who produced numerous DVDs and regularly contributes to ChessBase Magazine as well. Since 2015 he is the organizer of the Dutch Rapid Championships in his home town Amstelveen. He has started a YouTube channel with chess analysis as well.

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