Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Bb5/3...a6/4. Ba4/4...Nf6/5. O-O/5...Be7/6. Bxc6

Delayed exchange deferred Closed Spanish 6. Bxc6!? · Delayed exchange deferred By playing 4. Ba4 instead of 4. Bxc6, only to play 6. Bxc6, White has lost a tempo by moving their bishop twice. However, by waiting until Black has committed to ...Nf6, White prevents ...f6 to defend the e5 pawn (as in the Exchange variation, 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O f6). By also waiting until after ...Be7, White ensures that Black loses the tempo back if they defend the pawn with ...Bd6 (as in the Delayed exchange or Bayreuth variation, 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. d3 Bd6). After 6...dxc6 White can't win the e5 pawn straight because their e4 pawn is still hanging. First White defends their pawn with 7. d3 or 7. Re1. Black can defend e5 but give up their counterattack with ...Nd7, or pin White's knight to their queen with ...Bg4. 7. Qe2 also defends e4, but White still can't win the e5 pawn because of the tactic ...Qd4!. 7. Qe1 is an interesting alternative: this does defends against ...Nxe4 but White will still need to play ...d6 if they hope to win the e5 pawn due to the above-mentioned ...Qd4! tactic. Qe1 prevents Bg4 from pinning the knight. 7...Qg6 is probably best. 7...Bd6?! leads to 8. d4! exd4? 9. e5!. If 8...Qe7 9.dxe5! Bxe5 10. Nxe5 Qxe5 11. Qc3 Ng4 12. Qxe5+ Nxe5 13. f4! Ng6 14 .f5! (14. Be3 is also good) Ne5 15. Bf4 and White stands much better because of his better pawn structure. Theory table 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Bxc6 6 7 8 9 Bxc6dxc6 d3Nd7 Nbd2O-O Nc4f6 = ...... Qe1c5 Nxe5Qd4 Nf3Qxe4 = Ruy Lopez References