Ruy Lopez:Steinitz Defense

Wilhelm Steinitz’s solid defence: Black supports e5 with 3...d6 but accepts a somewhat cramped position.

It is reached after 6 moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6. It is a line of the Ruy Lopez.

White is to move and has 32 legal moves. Over the next four moves — two for each side — the game can branch into 816,597 different games. Those games reach 270,496 different positions: most positions can be reached in more than one way, 3 on average.

The Lichess opening list names 4 further lines after this position.

The same moves can be played in 16 different legal orders that all reach this position. For example 1. Nf3 e5 2. e4 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6, which starts as the Zukertort Opening.