Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense

About this variation

Black counterattacks e4 with 3...Nf6. The Berlin endgame became famous when Kramnik used it to hold Kasparov's 1. e4 in their 2000 World Championship match, which Kramnik won.

The Berlin Defense is 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6. Black ignores the bishop and counterattacks the pawn on e4. After 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8, the queens come off early and the famous Berlin endgame arises, sometimes called the Berlin Wall.

In the endgame Black has the bishop pair and a solid position, but has lost the right to castle and has doubled c-pawns. White has a kingside pawn majority and a space advantage with the pawn on e5. White's plan is to advance on the kingside and create a passed pawn, while Black's king stays in the center, supports the queenside and helps blockade White's pawns. Precise play is needed, but Black's position is very hard to break down.

The Berlin became a top-level weapon when Vladimir Kramnik used it to neutralize Garry Kasparov's 1. e4 in their 2000 world championship match. Since then many elite players have relied on it, and White has looked for ways to avoid the endgame, especially 4. d3, which leads to slower middlegames similar to the Italian Game with the bishop on b5.

The Berlin suits Black players who are happy with solid, technical positions and can play endgames well. With White, the endgame offers only small, long-term chances, but the anti-Berlin lines with d3 still offer rich middlegames.

Players who face the Berlin with White often avoid the endgame with 4. d3, keeping queens on the board and aiming for a slow maneuvering game in which the Ruy Lopez bishop still plays a role. Black players should therefore know both the endgame and the lines with an early d3, since a repertoire built only on the endgame leaves a gap.

It is one of the main lines of the Ruy Lopez.