With his last two moves, Black has deviated from the usual lines encountered in the Ruy Lopez: the Open Defense with 5...Ne4 and the Closed Defense with 5...Be7.
The tournament infancy of this maneuver dates back to the 1950's and perhaps earlier (cf. Krogius-Minev, Leningrad 1958). However, the litmus test occured at the Gorki Team Championship in 1963 when the players from the northeastern Russian seaport of Arkhangelsk "sprung" their curious innovation on the perplexed opponents.
From the very outset, Black declares his fighting spirit. He has intentionally postponed the development of his Kingside in order to create a masked bettery along the a8-h1 diagonal (Queenside Fianchetto), a noble but, as praxis has shown, risky endeavor during the opening phase of the game.
Despite its slow honing into maturity, the Arkhangelsk Variation remains a viable arsenal in any tournament player's repertoire.
The Ruy Lopez chess opening has long been seen as white's best chance for an advantage after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6. Many top players and coaches believe your improvement as a chess player depends on your understanding of the Ruy Lopez chess opening.
The Ruy Lopez teaches you a lot about the classical principles of the chess opening, and the Closed Variation, with 9 h3, will deepen your understanding of chess. No matter which side of the Ruy Lopez you find yourself on, you will learn much about chess.
Of course, an opening with as much history as the Ruy Lopez will have acquired a large amount of theory. Do not let this stop you from playing one of the most respected chess openings, but take your time and enjoy every small step towards mastering the opening.
