Ruy Lopez: Open, Howell Attack, Ekstrom Variation

An entry in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO C81), reached after 24 half-moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Qe2 Be7 10. Rd1 O-O 11. c4 bxc4 12. Bxc4 Qd7.

Black rook — Use ← → arrows or click moves to step through.

End of this line

No further variations branch from this position in our database. To explore neighbouring ideas:

About this opening

Ruy Lopez: Open, Howell Attack, Ekstrom Variation is an opening in the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, classified under code C81. ECO group C (C00–C99) covers open games (1.e4 e5) and the French Defence, including the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and King's Gambit. This particular variation is reached after 24 half-moves from the starting position, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. Qe2 Be7 10. Rd1 O-O 11. c4 bxc4 12. Bxc4 Qd7.

It belongs to the Ruy Lopez family. Within that family this is a level-3 branch (the Open → Howell Attack → Ekstrom Variation line). The immediate parent line is Ruy Lopez: Open, Howell Attack, transitioned via 12…Qd7.

The opening sequence in prose form: 1.e4 e5, 2.Nf3 Nc6, 3.Bb5 a6, 4.Ba4 Nf6, 5.O-O Nxe4, 6.d4 b5. From this position the encyclopaedia records no further canonical continuations — practical play branches into unnamed transpositions or returns to the parent line for alternative ideas.