The Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 (ECO C68). White trades bishop for knight at once, damaging Black's pawn structure - the result is doubled c-pawns.
White's idea is strategic: with exchanges and a transition to the endgame, the healthy kingside pawn majority may prove decisive, since Black's doubled pawns cannot produce a passer on the queenside. In exchange Black gets the two bishops and open files.
Fischer was fond of the Exchange Variation, proving that White has a genuine positional plan. It is a quiet but insidious way to play against the Spanish.
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