The Closed System arises in the Ruy Lopez after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 (ECO C88) and then ...d6 and ...O-O. The centre stays shut for the time being - hence the name.
This is the deepest and most theory-laden strategic argument in the whole Spanish: White slowly prepares d4 and a kingside attack, while Black unfolds counterplay with the knight manoeuvre (...Nc6-a5 or ...Nd7-f8-g6) and the ...c5 break.
The Closed Spanish was the centre of opening theory at the top level for decades - every world champion from Capablanca to Carlsen has played it. The benchmark of a long positional struggle.
Drag a piece onto the board, or click a piece and then click the squares. The cross beside the pieces sweeps every piece of that colour off the board, and a single piece can be dragged off the edge.
The pieces will be arranged into the chosen pattern.
It is the mating side to move. Find mate in one.
Openings, endgame positions and breakthrough studies - the set-up appears on the board.
Build your own position in the board editor, read up on the rules of chess or run a tournament on your own positions in the free app.
Pairings are computed by bbpPairings, an open-source engine implementing the Dutch system by FIDE rules: score groups, floats on an odd field, colour alternation. Free to use.
proper rounds with correct pairings, not random matchups
a full circle, with the round count derived from the field
a light format with no tournament machinery
Sign up to the Vibe Chess bot on Telegram - it carries the schedule of meetups and chess events across the cities we run in.
