C61 · Ruy Lopez
Ruy Lopez: Bird Variation, Paulsen Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. O-O Ne7
In the Ruy Lopez: Bird Variation, Paulsen Variation, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.
The Ruy Lopez: Bird Variation, Paulsen Variation is a chess opening classified under ECO code C61. It is reached after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4 4. Nxd4 exd4 5. O-O Ne7: 10 moves in, with White to play.
It belongs to the Ruy Lopez family — one of many ways the line can branch. Understanding the parent system’s plans is the fastest way to play this variation well.
Club players rarely lose the Ruy Lopez: Bird Variation, Paulsen Variation in the opening itself. They lose it a few moves later, when the plan behind the moves runs out: that is what reading your own games in this line shows you.
Play the Ruy Lopez: Bird Variation, Paulsen Variation? See where you go wrong.
Deepline reviews your real games, finds the exact moves that cost you, and trains the fixes.
Analyze my games free →Related openings
Ruy LopezRuy Lopez: Alapin DefenseRuy Lopez: Alapin Defense, Alapin GambitRuy Lopez: Brentano GambitRuy Lopez: Bulgarian VariationRuy Lopez: Cozio DefenseRuy Lopez: Cozio Defense, Paulsen VariationRuy Lopez: Cozio Defense, Tartakower GambitRuy Lopez: Fianchetto DefenseRuy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense, Kevitz Gambit