Chess Openings Lab
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Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Tarrasch Variation

The Tarrasch Variation is 5.Nc3, where White defends e4 with the knight instead of castling. White keeps flexible development and the option of Nd5 later, while Black chooses between ...Bc5, ...Be7 or ...b5 to finish development calmly.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Nc3
ECO
C77
Engine
−0.01 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
904 games in our lichess sample
White scores
53.2%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • After ...Be7, castle and then play a4 against the b5 pawn, with Nd5 if ...b4 comes.
  • If Black plays ...Bc5, consider Bxc6 and Nxe5, the engine's first line, winning the e5 pawn for a moment.
  • The c3 knight jumps to d5 to trade a defender of f6 and open the f-file around Black's king.
  • Keep the d-pawn flexible: d3 is solid, and d4 can come later.

Black

  • The 5...Bc5 move is active: after Bxc6 dxc6 and Nxe5, ...Bd4 wins the pawn back by hitting the knight and c3.
  • With 5...Be7 or 5...b5, castle quickly and push ...b4 against the c3 knight.
  • When White's knight lands on d5, take it or trade on d5 to avoid a weak f6 after Nxf6+.
  • Keep ...d6 in mind to hold e5 and open the c8 bishop.

Plans and pawn structure

With the knight on c3, White gives up the c3 pawn push for now, so the center stays more open. Middlegames revolve around the d5 square: White wants a knight there, and Black often pushes ...b4 to kick the c3 knight first. If Black chooses ...Bc5, the game becomes tactical after Bxc6 and Nxe5, with ...Bd4 and a trade on c3 giving White doubled pawns in return for the bishop pair. In quieter lines, both sides castle and play around the e5 and e4 pawns.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.01: level. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. −0.01 5...Bc5 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.Nxe5 Bd4 8.Nf3
  2. 0.00 5...Be7 6.O-O b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.a4
  3. +0.09 5...b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.a4 b4 8.Nd5

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

904 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 53.2%.

under 120056.2%
1200–159952.5%
1600–199953.4%
2000 and up47.6%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As Black, play 5...Be7 or 5...Bc5. With the c5 bishop, know the ...Bd4 resource after Bxc6 dxc6 and Nxe5. Do not leave the f6 knight pinned when White's knight reaches d5, and use ...b4 to push the c3 knight back.

Questions

What are the moves of the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Tarrasch Variation?

The Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Tarrasch Variation starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Nc3. Its ECO code is C77.

Is the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Tarrasch Variation good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.01 at depth 20, which is level. In 904 lichess games from our sample, White scored 53.2%. A practical sideline for White players who want to avoid main-line theory, while Black can equalize with simple development.

What is the main idea of the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Tarrasch Variation?

White guards e4 with Nc3 rather than castling, and plans Nd5 against Black's kingside. Black stays balanced with ...Bc5 or ...Be7, using ...b4 to push the knight away.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is Bc5, with Be7 and b5 close behind. 5...Bc5 develops actively and prepares ...Bd4 tricks against the c3 knight and e5 square.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.