Portuguese Opening bishop with 2...c6. The game might continue 3.Ba4 Nf6 and now White can play 4.Nc3 or 4.Qe2. Graham Burgess remarks that it looks like a Ruy Lopez where White has forgotten to play 2.Nf3. However, the Portuguese is not as bad or nonsensical as it first appears, and Black should proceed carefully. Portuguese Opening The Portuguese Opening is a chess opening that begins with the moves: The Portuguese is an uncommon opening. In contrast to the Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5), by delaying Nf3, White leaves the f-pawn free to move and retains the possibility of playing f2–f4.
Ruy Lopez, Noah's Ark Trap and José Capablanca at the Budapest tournament in 1929: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. d4 5... b5 6. Bb3 Nxd4 7. Nxd4 exd4 8. Qxd4?? 8... c5 9. Qd5 Be6 10. Qc6+ Bd7 11. Qd5 c4 (see diagram) A variation of this trap can occur in the Sicilian Defense after the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 (the Rossolimo Variation) a6 4.Ba4?? (4.Bxc6 is necessary and the point of 3.Bb5 itself) b5 5.Bb3 c4 (see diagram) and the bishop is similarly trapped. Bibliography Ruy Lopez, Noah's Ark Trap The Noah's Ark Trap