FICGS - Wikichess - Article 543

An old move, played before Fischer's 0-0. After the pawn exchange, White creates a favourable endgame pawn structure, given his 4-3 pawn majority on the Kingside. Black is unable to exploit his Queenside majority because of the doubled pawn. However in practise, Black is able to to create sufficient counterplay with his bishop pair to hold the balance.

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Actually, I think this is a bad move. After 0-0 black will have to defend the pawn on e5. 6. Nxe5, Qd4. 7. Nf3, Qxe4 does not work anymore for black, because white can play his rook to e1 and win the queen (the queen is pinned).

Therefore, black usually defends the pawn with f6. f6 is not very useful however, and black would rather have made another move, if he could have done so. Qd6 and Qf6 are also good moves that defend the pawn on e5. However, after 6. d4, exd4 7. Qxd4, Qxd4 black will have lost a tempo in comparison to this variant.

Contributors : Adrian Tan, Mike Hoogland

[ECO "C68"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez"] [Variation "Exchange variation"]

exd4 : 35 games, White ELO av : 1557, Black ELO av : 1650
1-0 : 22.9% , 1/2-1/2 : 22.9% , 0-1 : 54.3%

Bg4 : 4 games, White ELO av : 1573, Black ELO av : 1513
1-0 : 50% , 1/2-1/2 : 0% , 0-1 : 50%

f6 : 1 game, White ELO av : 1274, Black ELO av : 1066
1-0 : 100% , 1/2-1/2 : 0% , 0-1 : 0%

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