Chess Openings Lab
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Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack

The Marshall Attack is 8...d5 in the Closed Ruy, where Black gambits the e5 pawn for a fast kingside attack. White takes material with exd5 and Nxe5 and must defend carefully, while Black throws pieces at the white king with ...Bd6, ...Bg4 and queen moves to the h-file.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5
ECO
C89
Engine
+0.46 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
442 games in our lichess sample
White scores
44.6%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Accept with exd5 and Nxe5, as in the main engine line, then play d4 to support the e5 rook's retreat.
  • Use the extra pawn and keep the king safe with g3 and Re1 setups.
  • The quieter d3 or d4 avoid the gambit and lead to calmer play.

Black

  • After exd5, recapture with ...Nxd5 and give the e5 pawn for active pieces.
  • Play ...Bd6 aiming at h2, then ...Bg4 or queen moves toward h3 and h2.
  • Use the open e-file and kingside lines to bring rooks into the attack.

Plans and pawn structure

Black's plan is a direct kingside attack: ...Bd6 aims at h2, the queen comes toward h3 or h4, and ...Bg4 or ...Bf5 add pressure. White must defend with g3, Re1 and careful development, then use the extra pawn in the endgame. White's pieces often lag on the queenside, so developing the c1 bishop and b1 knight is key. If White survives, the extra pawn usually wins.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.46: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.46 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 Nf6
  2. +0.04 9.d4 exd4 10.e5 Ne4 11.cxd4 Bf5
  3. −0.07 9.d3 dxe4 10.dxe4 Qxd1 11.Bxd1 Be6

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

442 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 44.6%.

1600–199938.1%
2000 and up48.8%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

Where it goes next

  • Marshall Attack, Main Line, Spassky Variation9.exd5 · rare

How to play against it

As White, accept the gambit with exd5 and Nxe5 only if you know the defense, or sidestep it with d3 or d4. Do not take more material than necessary. As Black, keep the initiative after giving the pawn and avoid slow moves that let White develop the queenside.

Other lines with this name

The lichess opening list also files this line under the same name, though it reaches a different position: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.a4 Bb7.

Questions

What are the moves of the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack?

The Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5. Its ECO code is C89.

Is the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.46 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. In 442 lichess games from our sample, White scored 44.6%. A sharp choice for Black players who know the attacking lines; White needs precise defense or a calm anti-Marshall move.

What is the main idea of the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack?

Black sacrifices the e5 pawn with ...d5 for a fast kingside attack with ...Bd6 and queen moves toward h2. White grabs the pawn and must defend carefully.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is exd5, with d4 and d3 close behind. 9.exd5 accepts the gambit and starts the main line where White takes e5 next.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.