what’s the best way to counter the Berlin Defense?
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I’ve just recently swapped to the Ruy Lopez, but I keep running into the Berlin Defence. I’m having a lot of trouble with it and I need some help with what I should do when I encounter it again
Jun 21, 2024
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#2
The same thing you need to do to master the Exchange French. Know your endings!
In the Berlin main line (5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 etc), there are certain endings that favor Black, White, or are equal. I cannot speak a whole lot about the Rook Endings, but I remember dabbing with the Berlin as Black in the late 2000s. Here are some of the general rules:
1) Re1 is often a mistake for White. You do not want to allow White to pin your knight to your rook with his Dark-Squared Bishop. The pawn is on e5. f4 must be played to cover it. To get f5 in to break on the kingside, where you majority is, you must get in g4, and that is the whole concept of the "Berlin Wall" Black is out to dominate the g4-square. The g4-square is a light square. The only minor piece that cannot control g4 is the DSB. Black would love to trade his DSB for a White Knight. With the earlier trade of LSB for Knight in the opening, if Black trades DSB for Knight, White has a knight and DSB, Black has a Knight and LSB, and dominates g4 and White has nothing. DO NOT trade a knight for Black's DSB.
2) The following minor piece endings indicate who it TENDS to favor. Each case is different, but it will guide you through - First piece mentioned is White's, second is Black's:
DSB vs DSB - This is ideal for White and awful for Black. Black has pawns, typically, on c7, b6, a5, and c5. All dark. If White gets in Bd8, game over!
DSB vs Knight - This tends to be about even. If b2-b3 and c2-c4 have already need played by White, it tends to favor Black. This is one of Black's preferred endings, along with OCB's.
DSB vs LSB - If the pawn is on b2, it's equal. If it is on b3, it favors Black.
Knight vs Knight - This tends to be a draw in most cases with White typically being the only one with any winning chances.
Knight vs DSB - This is just as bad for Black as DSB vs DSB.
Knight vs LSB - This tends to be somewhat unclear - Both sides have what tends to be their best piece.
Now you also see why you never want to allow a pin and capture of the c3-knight by the DSB. You want to stick Black with the DSB. It's about as depressing for Black as the LSB is in the French - like the infamous White Knight vs Black Light-Squared Bishop ending.
Hope this helps.