I wasn't so much recommending for or against the Taimanov/Norwegian variation as much as pointing out a published resource. Nor am I recommending for or against the Siesta and Yandemirov. They are sharp and interesting and make a good match for one another.

Perhaps the main position in the Modern Steinitz (or Steinitz defense deferred) is reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 Bd7 6. d4 g6 7. O-O Bg7. (Tim Taylor argued that 7...Nf6 was more precise than the immediate 7...Bg7 in his 2011 book, but they usually end up transposing). If Black intends to reach this position after 5.c3, I think he might as well attempt to reach it after 5.O-O (5. 0-0 Bd7 6. c3 g6 7. d4 Bg7). White can diverge with 6d4, which is interesting but not clearly better IMO.

Modern-chess has three databases on the Modern Steinitz:
The Steinitz Defense Deferred  by GM Davorin Kuljasevic  December 23, 2016
Deferred Steinitz for Black by GM Lucas van Foreest and GM Pier Luigi Basso May 2025
1.e4 e5 for Black - Repertoire against the Ruy Lopez  by GM Ioannis Papaioannou  June 21, 2023. He covers the Chigorin and Steinitz Defense Deferred.

Whether recommended or not, black can transpose to the Norwegian variation after 5.0-0

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Na5 7. d4 ed4 8. Nd4 Bb7. This position receives 3 chapters in Norwegian Variation Against Ruy Lopez: Complete Repertoire by GM Jobava and GM Basso, Modern-Chess:

"The Norwegian Variation emerges after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Na5, creating immediate pressure on White's bishop pair while maintaining central tension. The subsequent 6.0-0 d6 7.d4 exd4 8.Nxd4 Bb7 leads to the critical position" mentioned above.

Based on their recommendation, this is something that players of the Steinitz defense deferred (SDD) might want to consider, especially if they like the Siesta variation, 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 f5!?

I did a search on TWIC from Jan 1st 2025 to the present on the position arising after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3! h5!? and was surprised that black did well from this oft ignored line. It may be an option if you are very strong, or very prepared, feel lucky, or just want to have fun. I dabble with the SDD so I may never commit to studying and playing this complicated line.

an ordinary chessplayer wrote on 09/10/25 at 16:21:23:


Hah, I still have a copy of that book and maybe should look it up, but anyway without any precedence in mind, a few years ago with an engine I determined that 8...d3 was tenable, and again, a way of Black playing "fighting chess", against the Spanish

Sorry, haven't been paying attention to this thread.  Long story short, as Black I've been able to hold a draw with 6...Na5?! in centaur/corres. play, however it is nothing I'd play OTB, it's a grind for Black, he often winds up being a pawn down, and having to play very precisely in the ensuing ending.

And the end of the story is I've started playing 6...Be7!?  This potentially leads to entirely new line of theory especially if followed up with ...Bg7, before ...Nf6 and castling.  Also, Black holds after Fine's (yes, Reuben Fine!!) 7.a4  -- I'll have to dredge up some finished games of mine from FICGS and post them.

But I am now convinced more than ever that the Modern Steinitz is Black's best option for "fighting chess" against the Spanish

Kerangali wrote on 06/28/25 at 08:13:26:

After [b]8...Bb7 9.0-0, Black looks ok with 9...dxc3 10.Nxc3 Nf6 11.Qe2 (eyeing b5) 11...Be7 12.Qxb5 Nxe4, e.g. 13.Re1 0-0 14.Nc3 Nxc3 15.Qxe7 Nd5 which is 0.00 by Stockfish, but the computer gives White a persistent advantage after 9.cxd4. Another idea is to leave the bishop on c8 and play 8...Nf6 at once, followed by Be7/0-0/c5; I think this was recommended by Portisch in his Ruy Lopez book.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.c3

In addition to 8...dxc3, Keres gives as good both 8...Bb7 9.cxd4 Nf6 Yates - Bogoljubow 1930 and 8...d3 9.Qxd3 Be6 Rubinstein - O'Hanlon 1930. I'm not too sure about either of those ideas.
from Keres (1952) Offene Spiele vol.1, pg.221-222

Annotating Hort - Keres, European Team Championship 1961 where white played 8.Bd5, Keres says only that if white wants a draw 8.c3 "is much more to the point".
from Keres (1972) Grandmaster of Chess, pg.552

I have a half-memory that Keres favored 8...d3, but I'm not sure where I got that idea. Maybe from Portisch in How to Open a Chess Game.

Dink Heckler wrote on 09/03/25 at 12:59:56:

I feel the same way!

Here's a quote from the original source:
"( 6… g5!? an interesting and slightly provocative alternative. It’s a fun line you can definitely try if you're in the mood for something unorthodox. We’ll take a closer look at it in Chapter 8. )"