Berlin Defense
You play Black · 21 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
Take a quiz
10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 8
- Berlin Defense, Berlin WallC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 Bd79 moves
- Berlin Defense, Rio de Janeiro VariationC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Re1 Nc5 11. Nd4 Ne6 12. Be3 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 c513 moves
- Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Anderssen VariationC651. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. Bxc6+5 moves
- Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Duras VariationC651. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 d6 5. c45 moves
- Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Kaufmann VariationC651. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. Be35 moves
- Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Mortimer TrapC651. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3 Ne7 5. Nxe5 c65 moves
- Berlin Defense, l'Hermet Variation, Westerinen LineC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Ne47 moves
- Berlin Defense, Closed Bernstein VariationC661. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Bg57 moves
Other variations · 13
- Berlin Defense, Pillsbury VariationC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7 9. b39 moves
- Berlin Defense, Winawer AttackC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7 9. Nd49 moves
- Berlin Defense, Zukertort VariationC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7 9. c49 moves
- Berlin Defense, Cordel VariationC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nf58 moves
- Berlin Defense, Closed Showalter VariationC661. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Bxc67 moves
- Berlin Defense, Closed Wolf VariationC661. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 exd46 moves
- Berlin Defense, Trifunovic VariationC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 d56 moves
- Berlin Defense, Minckwitz VariationC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. dxe56 moves
- Berlin Defense, Rosenthal VariationC671. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 a65 moves
- Berlin Defense, Nyholm AttackC651. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O5 moves
- Berlin Defense, Beverwijk VariationC651. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Bc54 moves
- Berlin Defense, Fishing Pole VariationC651. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Ng44 moves
- Berlin Defense, Tarrasch TrapC661. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 Bd7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 O-O7 moves
What is the Berlin Defense?
The Berlin Defense is Black's answer to the Ruy Lopez with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6. Instead of the usual ...a6, Black counterattacks e4 at once. The main line trades queens on move eight and leads to the famous Berlin endgame, often called the Berlin Wall: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8. The character is solid and strategic rather than tactical. The defense became a top-level weapon after Kramnik used it to neutralise Kasparov in their 2000 world-championship match, and it is still one of the most reliable defenses at elite level.
Main ideas and plans
In the Berlin endgame Black has the bishop pair and doubled c-pawns and can no longer castle; White has a healthy kingside majority and the e5 pawn, which cramps Black. Your plan is to tuck the king away, often with ...h6 and ...Ke8 or by walking it to c7 or b7, develop the bishops to e7 or e6, and use ...h5 to stop White from rolling the kingside pawns with g4 and f4. White hopes to push f4 and f5 for a passed pawn; Black trusts the bishop pair in the long run. The Rio de Janeiro Variation, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Be7, keeps the queens on, and the Westerinen Line puts the knight on e4 instead of f5.
Many White players avoid the endgame with the Anti-Berlin Variation, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3, which leads to slow Italian-style positions. Black usually answers with ...Bc5, or ...d6 and ...Be7, castles, and plays ...a6 or ...Ne7 and ...c6 at the right moment. One trap to know is the Mortimer idea: after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Ne7 5.Nxe5 c6 6.Ba4 Qa5+ the queen gives check while hitting both the knight on e5 and the bishop on a4. Other fourth moves, such as Nc3 or Qe2, are quieter and normal development works well.
Who is it for?
The Berlin suits patient, strategic players who are happy defending a slightly worse but solid endgame and know that the result depends on technique, not quick tactics. It is very hard for White to beat, but also hard for Black to win with against a cautious opponent, so it is better as a solid main weapon than as a must-win choice. Before you play it, study the plans of the Berlin endgame, with the king walk, the bishops and the ...h5 idea, and have a clear set-up ready against the Anti-Berlin, since that is what most club players will choose.