Berlin Defence

The Berlin Defence was first analysed in depth in the 19th century, and received its name from the Berliners that examined its variations. It was played eight times by Johannes Zukertort against Wilhelm Steinitz in the World Chess Championship 1886, the first official World Chess Championship. It also was played three times by Mikhail Chigorin in the World Chess Championship 1892, also against Steinitz. Steinitz won six of the eleven Berlin games in these championships, using the 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.Re1 and 4.d3 lines. Emanuel Lasker was also a frequent practitioner of the Berlin Defence, making extensive use of it during his career. Due to a perception of passivity, the opening declined in popularity. After the early 20th century, it was rarely used in high-level games and received little attention until the Classical World Chess Championship 2000, in which challenger Vladimir Kramnik used it as a against champion Garry Kasparov. Kramnik used the Berlin in games 1, 3, 9 and 13 in the match (each time as Black), all four of which were drawn. After losing the match, Kasparov cited Kramnik's superior opening preparation as a reason for his loss. such as its use by Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand in games 4, 6, 7 and 8 of the World Chess Championship 2013. It is now regarded as a opening for Black to use in order to achieve an endgame. == Open Berlin: 4.0-0 Nxe4 ==

White may safely castle with 4.0-0 as Black's third move does not truly threaten to win White's pawn on e4, as if Black captures it, White will always be able to win back the pawn on e5. Regardless, Black usually responds with 4...Nxe4, opening the game and leading to tactical complications. After 4...Nxe4, the Open Berlin, White's most common move is 5.d4. 5...exd4 would result in Black's knight being pinned to the king after 6.Re1. The usual reply is instead 5...Nd6, retreating the knight to safety and counterattacking White's bishop. The main line continues 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8, leading to an endgame where Black has lost castling rights. 8.Qe2 is possible but well met by 8...Nd4, as 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Rd1 can be met with 10...Bg4. There are a variety of sidelines available for both sides. The most common is 5.Re1, which is also very drawish despite avoiding the endgame. Berlin Endgame: 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 The Berlin Endgame is reached after 4.0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8. It has also been called the Berlin Wall. In this line, the queens are exchanged off the board early, leading to a position that is difficult for White to win, is also colloquially known as the Berlin Draw, as it is has frequently been used by top-level players to agree to an early draw. This draw occurs after 6...Nxb5 7.a4 Nbd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 9.Qxd4 d5 10.exd6 e.p. Qxd6 11.Qe4+ Qe6 12.Qd4 Qd6 13.Qe4+ Qe6 14.Qd4 Qd6, where the game ends after a threefold repetition draw claim on move 14, or soon after. The line is not a forced draw, as either side can deviate, although White is analysed as having no advantage after 6.dxe5 and it is generally considered that there are better ways to play for advantage in the Berlin. This line was featured in the game Erigaisi–Gukesh, Wijk aan Zee, 2023. Ian Nepomniachtchi played this line against Nakamura in Round 12 of the Candidates Tournament 2022, forcing a quick draw by repetition. With two rounds remaining in the tournament, the draw extended Nepomniachtchi's lead in the tournament while Nakamura found the result acceptable to keep his second place position. Thus, both players benefited from the draw in light of the incumbent World Champion Magnus Carlsen's suggestion that he would not play another World Championship match, leaving the match to the first and second place finishers of the Candidates. During the World Blitz Chess Championship 2022, a match between Richárd Rapport and Nakamura with Black ended in a Berlin Draw that took just 36 seconds from first move to the threefold repetition. It would have taken just 20 seconds if not for Rapport spending 16 seconds deciding whether to enter the drawing line. White's sixth move alternatives • 6.Ba4 has been called the Showalter Variation. Common continuations include 6...e4 and then 7.Re1 Be7 8.Ne5 0-0 9.Nc3 or 7.Ne5 Be7 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Re1, which both lead to the same position, or 6...exd4, where a common line is 7.c3 Be7 8.cxd4 and then 8...b5 or 8...0-0. • 6.Bg5 is a rarely seen zwischenzug. The most common line is 6...Be7 7.Bxe7 Qxe7 8.Bxc6 dxc6 9.dxe5 Nf5. 7...Nxe7 and 6...f6 are two alternatives for Black. Black's fifth move alternatives • 5...Be7 is Black's main alternative to 5...Nd6, and has been called the Rio de Janeiro Variation. It was once common (being played several times by Emanuel Lasker, for example, including three games in the World Chess Championship 1908), as it avoids the endgame that occurs after 5...Nd6, though it declined in popularity after Black's compensation was demonstrated in that line. It typically continues 6.Qe2 Nd6 7.Bxc6 bxc6 8.dxe5, followed by 8...Nb7 or 8...Nf5. Other common lines include 6.dxe5 0-0, the Minckwitz Variation; 6.Re1 Nd6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Bxc6 dxc6 (or 7.Bxc6 dxc6 8.dxe5 Nf5) 9.Qxd8+ Bxd8; and 6.d5 Nd6. • 5...a6 is another alternative for Black. Johannes Zukertort analysed it in an article published in 1883. The most common move is 6.Ba4, which transposes to the main line of the Open Spanish, more often reached via 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4. Instead of transposing, 6.Bxc6 dxc6 is possible, which may be followed by 7.Re1 Nf6 or 7.Qe2 Bf5. 5.Re1 5.Re1 has a reputation as a very low-risk line for White, and it has been advocated by Alexei Shirov. It has also been played by Magnus Carlsen. The line has grown in popularity over time as it avoids the drawish endgame after 5.d4 Nd6, though 5.Re1 is itself also very drawish. The most common continuation is 5...Nd6 6.Nxe5 Be7 7.Bf1 Nxe5 8.Rxe5 0-0 9.d4 Bf6 10.Re1 Re8, leading to a position with a symmetrical pawn structure where all of White's pieces are still on the first rank. Despite the unintuitive undeveloping moves 7.Bf1 and 10.Re1, the line occurred in the fourth game of the World Chess Championship 1886. It never occurred again in a World Chess Championship until the 21st century. After 10.Re1 Re8, the most common line is 11.c3 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Ne8 13.Bf4 d5. Also possible is 11.Bf4 Rxe1 12.Qxe1 Bxd4 13.Bxd6 cxd6, where White sacrifices a pawn, though Black may transpose to the first line after 12...Ne8 13.c3 d5. Common deviations from the main line include 9...Ne8, 9.Nc3, 7...Nf5, 7.Bd3, 6.a4, and 6.Ba4. == Black's fourth move alternatives ==

4...Bc5 4...Bc5 has been called the Beverwijk Variation. It is also frequently reached from the Cordel Defence (3...Bc5) after 4.0-0 Nf6. White may respond with 5.c3, 5.Nxe5, or 5.d3, which transposes to the main line of the Anti-Berlin. 5.c3 was played by Johannes Zukertort in the 1860s and has been called the Zukertort Gambit. Black can accept the pawn with 5...Nxe4, where Zukertort's line continues 6.Qe2 Bxf2+ 7.Rxf2 Nxf2; 7.Kh1, 6...d5, and 6.d4 are common deviations. However, the main continuation to 5.c3 is instead 5...0-0 6.d4 Bb6, typically followed by 7.Bg5 h6 (or 7...d6) 8.Bh4 d6, 7.Re1, or 7.dxe5. 5.Nxe5 tends to continue with either 5...Nxe4 6.Qe2 Nxe5 7.Qxe4 Qe7 or 5...Nxe5 6.d4 (a forking pattern also seen in other openings) a6. 4...d6 4...d6 simply reinforces the pawn on e5. It may end up transposing to lines of the Steinitz Defence (3...d6) while eliminating continuations of the Steinitz where White delays castling. It is regarded as playable but passive. Though it is rare today, 4...d6 was once a frequent alternative to 4...Nxe4; Emanuel Lasker played it twice in the World Chess Championship 1908. White typically responds with 5.d4 or 5.Re1. 5.d4 intends to open the centre and most often continues 5...Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7. The main alternative line is 5...exd4 6.Nxd4 Bd7, adding a defender to the doubly attacked knight on c6. White's most common move is 7.Nc3, leading to a position more often reached from the Four Knights Game. After 5.Re1, Black usually plays ...Bd7, ...Be7, and ...0-0 in some order, a solid but relatively passive defensive setup. Other lines • 4...Be7 has the common continuation 5.Re1 d6, followed by 6.d4 or 6.c3. • 4...Ng4 attempts a Fishing Pole trap; after 5.h3 h5, 6.hxg4?? is a blunder. == Anti-Berlin: 4.d3 ==

4.d3 is by far the most common fourth move alternative for White. Because many players with White do not want to enter the lines following 4.0-0 Nxe4 in order to avoid a draw, the move has grown in popularity to rival 4.0-0. It is often known as the Anti-Berlin. Preventing Nxe4 keeps the game closed and sidesteps the traditional Berlin endgame. Black typically responds 4...Bc5 or 4...d6. Main line: 4...Bc5 5.c3 After 4...Bc5, White most often responds with 5.c3, typically continuing 5...0-0 6.0-0 and then 6...d6, 6...Re8, or 6...d5. Black may also play 5...d6 or 5...d5. After 5...0-0 6.0-0 d5, White's main moves are 7.Nbd2 and 7.exd5; 7.Qe2 and 7.Bxc6 are also possible. 7.exd5 is seen as leading to a pawn structure that is better for Black, with the main continuation 7...Qxd5 (7...Nxd5 permits 8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.Nxe5) 8.Bc4 Qd8 and then 9.Nbd2 or 9.b4. 5.Bxc6 5.Bxc6 is the most common alternative to 5.c3 for White and has gained popularity over time. Unlike in the standard Exchange Variation (3...a6 4.Bxc6) of the Ruy Lopez, Black has already played Nf6, which makes it more difficult to defend the pawn on e5. After the usual 5...dxc6, White has several options, the most common of which are 6.Nbd2 and 6.0-0, followed by 6.h3 and 6.Qe2. Black often ends up playing ...Nd7 in these lines. Other lines • After 4...Bc5, 5.0-0 permits Black to play 5...Nd4, continuing 6.Nxd4 Bxd4 7.c3, or Black may play 5...d6, which usually ends up transposing to positions reached from 5.c3. • 4...d6 is the main alternative to 4...Bc5. Black intends to place the bishop on e7 instead of c5. White's most common replies are 5.0-0 and 5.c3. 5.c4 is the aggressive but risky Duras Variation. • 4...Ne7?! is the Mortimer Trap, which wins a piece if White plays 5.Nxe5, as after 5...c6, White must lose a piece. 6.Bc4 can be met with 6...Qa5+, and 6.Nc4 can be met with 6...d6! (not 6...cxb5?? 7.Nd6#) 7.Ba4 b5. However, 4...Ne7 is regarded as an inferior move because it loses time by moving the same piece twice. Simply 5.0-0 is good for White. == White's fourth move alternatives ==

• 4.Nc3 transposes to the Four Knights Game, Spanish Variation. • 4.Qe2 defends both the bishop on b5 and the pawn on e4. It usually continues 4...Bc5, or alternatively 4...d6, 4...a6, 4...Bd6, or 4...Be7. • 4.d4 usually continues 4...exd4 5.0-0, the Nyholm Attack, or 5.e5 Ne4 6.0-0. • 4.Bxc6 is possible but inferior to 4.d3 and only then 5.Bxc6. == References ==