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

Side note: I recalled Vlastimil Jansa writing in his book Dynamics of Chess Strategy of Keres' "brilliant calculation" and "perfect coolness" in that game. According to Jansa (who was playing Petrosian on an adjacent board), the 17-year-old Hort was so surprised by the queen sacrifice (35...Qxc1+) that he literally fell off his chair.

(Jansa clearly had the highest regard for Keres, writing for instance of his "erudition" and "equanimity" and that "during our games I always had a feeling that I was playing against somebody who knew everything about chess.") 

FreeRepublic wrote on 09/03/25 at 15:58:42:

IIRC Timur Gareyev covered a few of his games with this wild-looking g7-g5 in a recent video/pgn course for another website.

kylemeister wrote on 05/31/25 at 20:25:04:

GM Nigel Davies analysed a few games with 5...bxc6 6 d4 exd4, and Harry recently analysed the line 7 Nxd4 c5 8 Nc6 Qd7 9 Na5 Nf6 10 0-0 by transposition from 4...Nf6 5 0-0 d6 6 Bxc6+, but we've never looked at 6...f6, which I quite like for Black.
One problem with the Steinitz Deferred that bothers me if I want to win is 5 d4 b5 6 Bb3 Nxd4 7 Nxd4 exd4 8 c3 as now 8...dxc3 allows an immediate repetition by 9 Qd5.

6. c3 g5

Wow! That's enough internet for today.

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

Thanks. That's a new idea for me. Most authors are going for 5...Bd7. 5...Bg4 6h3 h5?! has been deeply explored.

Following up on your line B, is the game Peters John A (USA)-Taylor Timothy (USA)  1-0 Lone Pine (USA) 1976:
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 9. Bd2 Nb3 10. Nb3 Nf6 11. Na5 Be4?! certainly what black would like to play but after 12. Re1 d5 13. f3 Bc5 14. Kh1 O-O 15. Nb7 Qe7 16. Nc5 Qc5 17. Be3 Qc2 18. fe4 Qd1 19. Rd1 de4 20. Nc3 black's three extra pawns do not compensate for the piece.

According to Stockfish black is nearly equal after 11. Na5 Qc8 12. Nc3 Be7 13. Qf3 O-O.

One thing I like about 5. O-O!? Bd7 6. c3 for white is that the Siesta variation (5.c3 f5) has been avoided. Black has to play a quieter variation. Although that may have been his choice anyway.

To answer the OP's original question: NOTHING

That is, if Black's actively, instead of any ...Bd7 or ...g6 crapola.  Instead, SF17 now essentially evaluates the Siesta variaton practically completely equal (and I don't let it just churn on 5.c3 f5, I drill in)

Also, if 5.0-0 then 5...b5!? 6.Bb3 Na5 (transposing to the Taimanov), on 7.d4 exd4!

Finally, if White plays 5.d4? Nxd5! I've won many online/blitz (and even rapid) games with the Noah's Ark trap.  So year, not only is the Modern Steinitz playable, but it's probably the only line against the Ruy where Black can possibly notch an especially such a quick win

Chessbase also have a new video/ course on the Modern Steinitz, with Tim Wall presenting.

cathexis wrote on 07/20/23 at 12:46:22:

Also available at Modern Chess, Club Player's Repertoire for Black with 1...e5 by GM Krisztian Szabo (10 hours and 22 mins Running Time):

https://www.modern-chess.com/club-players-repertoire-for-black-with-1-e5-by-gm-k...

PGN files included. They currently have a sale, 60% off.

By the way, Vlastimil Jansa's Dynamics of Chess Strategy (mentioned in this thread quite some years ago) had a sub-chapter of about 20 pages ("Steinitz's delicacies") about some of this stuff.

There are SDD main lines and several sidelines. Here's a sideline that has not been mentioned to my knowledge.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O!? Bd7 6. d4 Nd4 7. Bd7 Qd7 8.Nd4 ed4 9. Qd4 Nf6. I think the resulting position is between += and = and is playable by both sides.

If White wants to avoid main lines, then this is optimal play by both sides, in my opinion.

emary wrote on 08/26/23 at 17:28:42:

Hmm, so he likes 4...Nf6 5. 0-0 d6 6. Bxc6+ bc6 7. Re1 Be7 8. d4 ed4 9. Nxd4 Bd7 10. c4.

An old Informant/ECO bit:  10...0-0 11. Nc3 Re8 12. h3 c5 13. Nf3 Be6 14. b3 Nd7 15. Bf4 (Onischuk-Malaniuk, Russia 2001) Bf6! 16. Qd3 Bxc3 17. Qxc3 f6 +/= Onischuk.

By the way, RIP GM Aleksandar Matanović.

Edited to add:  A survey by Tibor Karolyi in Yearbook 94 (2010) didn't mention 10. c4 (just 10. Nc3 and 10. e5). Included in the survey:  a photo of Portisch.

> Incidentally the first alternative reminded me of (yes, an old game) Karpov-Spassky 1986.
Dear Kylemeister,
we'd be worrying more if you started reminding future games like a precog. Since you spotted me quoting 'IM Rohde', you can gather I'm a boomer too. We have interesting topics on the table: 4...d6 vs 4...Nf6 in the "d6 intending g6" deferred Steinitz, 5...a6 vs 5...Qc7 in the Taimanov Sicilian... Hoping to contribute (in time) and/or learn from these topics.

Just a little postcript. After something like 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bd7 6. c3 g6 7. d4 Bg7 8. Re1, 



Black can play 8...Nf6, but he also has alternatives in 8...Nge7 or 8...b5. If someone prefers one of the alternatives, then they might prefer the 4...d6 move order.

Some dead-quick thoughts 'cos just off on hol. for a few days ...

@ AOC:

Quote:

If there is, it looks like we can probably say it can't be 8 0-0, as there 8 ...Qe7 then ...Bg7 has been played with good results by strong Black players, while Adams for one has played the immediate 8 ...Bg7.

Quote:

On 6 ...g6 7 Bg5, Papaioannou gives 7 ...Be7 ('!'), while also mentioning (without analysis) 7 ...f6 ('!?').


@ kylemeister:

Thanks for that 8 ...Ne7 thought, which triggered a very dim memory ... I wonder if it (still) holds up ...

In Horowitz's old book 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O d6 was called the Rubinstein (!?) System. I dimly remember white was supposed to play 6.c3 Nxe4!? 7.d4 and black is under pressure. Of course black can play 6...Bd7 transposing back to the Modern Steinitz.

7...g6 instead of 7...Be7 was considered risky because of the e-file: 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.O-O Nf6 6.c3 Bd7 7.d4 g6 8.Nbd2 Bg7 (8...Qe7 is another move. 8...b5 9.Bc2 is just a typical Spanish Torture.) 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Nxe5 Bxe4 12.Nxe4 (12.Re1 is preferred by the engine. It's quite optimistic at first because it sees white can win a pawn. Then it settles down.) 12...Qxd1 13.Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Rxd1 Bxe5 15.Bh6 Alekhine - Michell, Hastings 1933/34 
https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1012956

Since then some big names have drawn this position as black. Old assessments are bound to be overturned by later analysis. ...Nf6, ...d6, ...g6 is a sound and natural setup. It wouldn't surprise me at all if it turns out quite okay with engine assistance, despite the frowns of older theory.

As for 4...d6 vs 4...Nf6 5.O-O d6, I would prefer the first one because I don't see any scary sidelines there. The second one allows 4...Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.O-O (annoying) and 4...Nf6 5.Qe2 (fighting on the opponent's ground). Other sidelines like 4...Nf6 5.Bxc6 and 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 don't bother me at all.

Seems to me that choice between 4 ...d6 and 4 ...Nf6 is basically a matter of taste/individual choice. I don't see one way as stronger than the other if the aim is to play ...d6/Bd7 + ...g6 lines. Perhaps it comes down to what signals you want to give to your opponent and what specific lines you're happy to allow/have ruled out.

4 ...Nf6 5 0-0 d6 6 Bc6 bc 7 d4 ed 8 Qd4 Be7 9 Nc3 0-0 is just a transposition to 4 ...d6 5 Bc6 bc 6 d4 ed 7 Qd4 Nf6 (Kuljasevic also mentions the riskier 7 ...c5!? 8 Qd3 g6) 8 Nc3 Be7 9 0-0 0-0. After 4 ...Nf6 White could try 5 Qe2 or 5 0-0 d6 6 Re1, but neither prevents the ...Bd7/...g6 setup. And also after 5 0-0 d6 6 d4, Black can, should he wish, avoid the 6 ...b5 7 de ending with 6 ...Bd7 (i.e. transpose into 4 ...d6 5 0-0 Bd7 6 d4 Nf6!), as played by the heroic Pragg!

Kerangali wrote on 08/22/23 at 11:42:33:


Turning the question around, is there a problem with playing 4...Nf6 first? Sometimes a simple columnar display works best for me. ECO C(4), C79 rows 7 and 8 claim a slight advantage to White. However, after: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. Bc6 bc6 7. d4 ed4 8. Qd4 Be7 9. Nc3 O-O



Stockfish 16 computes the game as approximately equal. I don't think this is bad for Black. Black has to give up on the kind side fiancheto. However, that is also the case after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. Bc6 bc6 6. d4.

FreeRepublic wrote on 07/21/23 at 19:02:08:


Tim Taylor in Slay the Spanish treats the Black fiancheto of the king bishop as something of a universal system as it can come up after either 5.0-0 or 5c3. However, he notes that transposition are not guaranteed.

Certainly 50-0 Bd7 6c3 transposes to 5c3 Bd7 6c3. On the other hand, 5.0-0 Bd7 6c4 and 6d4 are distinct lines. Black, for his part, can play ...g6, ...Bd7 and ...Nf6 by different move orders.

Taylor:  "The basic motif of the Bishop Defence is that Black intends to fianchetto his king’s bishop. Black can play this against almost any move order by White, but must adapt himself to whatever White plays."

Perhaps ...g6 ...Bg7 is not a universal system, but it can be a goal against many moves.

Kerangali wrote on 08/22/23 at 11:42:33:

Thanks for pointing out that course. I was not aware of it. As to your question, one advantage of playing 4...Nf6 instead of 4...d6 is to avoid the line:  1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. Bc6 bc6 6d4. This can be answered by 6...exd or 6...f6. With preparation, I think Black can welcome this line.

It seems that Jones' course tries to provide a ...g6 response whenever possible in the double-king pawn opening. It's an interesting idea and I wonder how well he can pull it off!

I prefer PGN or CBV files, but I have delved into the Chessable world. I often play through the moves in Chess Opening Wizard. It's a bit tedious. On the other hand, Chessable expects the user to play through moves anyway.

I realize that I was a little terse in my prior comment, so I will now expand now. My reasoning was that
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 f5!? 6. exf5 Bf5
and
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5!?
make a good match. They lead to disruptive chess, denying White a simple advantage. 

Other approaches by Black, for example a king side fianchetto, can be attempted against either 5c3 or 5O-O, so why not do so against both moves?

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5!? Here7.d4 is the main move, but it is very complicated. White might try for something simpler with 7. Bc6 bc6 8. d4 (...Qf6) Bf3 9. Qf3 ed4.



Now White can consider 10e5, 10Re1, 10c3 and 10Rd1. Black is a pawn up for the moment but lags in development. His queen side pawns may become vulnerable. He might get something going on the king side with g5-4.

There are several resources available:  analysis at ChessPublishing and elsewhere, games played, and computer evaluations. The computer gives White the advantage for the moment. I analyzed one line with the computer and at some point it recalibrated and gave Black equality. To paraphrase a song by Billy Joel, it never is wrong, it just changes its mind. For now at least, I'll go with human evaluations!

So an ancient main line move gets "!!" ... ah, marketing.

Kerangali wrote on 07/20/23 at 09:06:13:

There's a mention of freezing White's queenside with ...Bd3, which I figured must be a reference to the Siesta (with 7. 0-0).

This screenshot apparently showing Black's ...Qg4-g3 must be an extreme case of threat stronger than execution

I just happened upon another source. (Sale ends soon).

Club Player's Repertoire for Black with 1...e5 by GM Krisztian Szabo (10 hours and 22 mins Running Time) 

https://www.modern-chess.com/club-players-repertoire-for-black-with-1-e5-by-gm-k...

Chapter 1. Kings Gambit 3.Bc4
Chapter 2. Kings Gambit 3.Nf3 Nf6
Chapter 3. Vienna Game (Part I)
Chapter 4. Vienna Game (Part II)
Chapter 5. Vienna Game (Part III)
Chapter 6. Centre Game
Chapter 7. Goering Gambit
Chapter 8. Ponziani Opening
Chapter 9. Four Knights 4.g3
Chapter 10. Four Knights 4.d4
Chapter 11. Four Knights 4.Bb5
Chapter 12. Scotch Gambit
Chapter 13. Scotch Game Secondary Lines
Chapter 14. Scotch Game Main Line
Chapter 15. Italian Game 4.Ng5
Chapter 16. Italian Game 4.d3
Chapter 17. Ruy Lopez Exchange 5.Nc3
Chapter 18. Ruy Lopez Exchange 5.0-0
Chapter 19. Ruy Lopez Deferred Steinitz (Part I)
Chapter 20. Ruy Lopez Deferred Steinitz (Part II)

The Papaioannou link is here (preview at the bottom): 
https://www.modern-chess.com/1-e4-e5-for-black-repertoire-against-the-ruy-lopez-...

Michael Ayton wrote on 07/03/23 at 07:37:00:


I found the NIC Surveys:  NIC YBK 119, 126, and 128. What I found from Roiz at Modern-chess was the Breyer and White sidelines.

The ChessPublishing archives have a lot of material.

Kerangali wrote on 07/02/23 at 18:43:37:
I like it, but was a little worried that people might think I've been covering it too much this last year or so.

In Modern Chess, there is also this course by GM Papaioannou:
https://www.modern-chess.com/1-e4-e5-for-black-repertoire-against-the-ruy-lopez-...
His repertoier covers the SPanish Chigorin and the Deferred Steinitz as an alternative. However, he's just interested in ...g6 lines, possibly for Biltz (same as his anti-Italian Black course with h6/g6 secondary system). 
For classical lines, there is the nice booklet authored by Lajos Portisch, My Secrets in the Ruy Lopez. There are lengthy explanations on the Exchange, Old Steinitz and Deferred Steinitz (3/4 of the book), moving up to the Breyer. Portisch shows remarkable disdain for computer evaluations, although his lines were computer-checked by a fellow GM. He shows his trademark setup in the deferred Steinitz with Ng8-e7-g6 and h6-Be7-Bg5, and even in the Old Steinitz he trusted the solidity of his position. Great lessons from the past!
Needless to say, the Deferred Steinitz and related Siesta or ...g6 systems are often played when Black wants to avoid heavy theory in the Spanish. GM Kosten can maybe share a word about it

Two ebooks currently on sale:

https://www.modern-chess.com/the-steinitz-defense-deferred

https://everymanchess.com/products/slay-the-spanish?_pos=8&_sid=2feefbf0c&_ss=r&...

I think the subject question is fair enough.

After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6, White has several 5th move options to consider.

Contemplating the line as Black I have been most concerned about 5. O-O!? as I am a little skeptical of 5...Bg4!? 6h3 h5!?

After 5...Bd7, 6. d4!? seems the most forceful continuation.

Now perhaps 6...Nd4!? After 7. Bxd7 Qxd7 8. Nxd4 exd4 9. Qxd4 Nf6 Black seems to have a reasonable game.

Kritz has an article on CBM 140 on the Modern Steinitz which some of you may find interesting as this probably will and fuel to the discussion.

Didn't Jansa in his "Dynamic Chess Strategy" book examined this variation in some detail? I had this wonderfull book but it was stolen from me along with my laptop....

NeverGiveUp wrote on 01/27/11 at 09:14:35:


It seems to me that the usual view has long been that there are a few ways for White to get a slight advantage there.

Whatever you'd do against 5 o-o ^ 6 c3 & 7 d4 I assume. Probably only a big problem if thats meant to be the Bg4 and h5 stuff? 

I have to say that playing into that line as white feels a tiny bit kind to black to me, but then I'm somewhat offended by people playing f5 against the Lopez

In the end you're playing a very classical defence (and white playing very sensibly) so fully sound fun is always likely to be a little limited.

Line C should read:
C] 9.Nd4!? Qd7 10.Nc6: bc6: 11.Bc2 Be7 12.Bd3: ed3: 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qf3 d5 (Nh6!?) 15.Qd3: Nf6 16.Qc2 (16.Qe3 0-0! 17.Qe7:?? Rae8) 0-0 with compensation.

Re agropop:

There has been a Smirnov-Yandemirov game in 2008 which you didn't mention where the great Y improved upon the earlier game and went 19. ...Qh1+ 20.Ke2 Qg2: 21.Nc7:+ Kf7 22.Nd5+ Kg6 23.Nf6: Qf3+ 24.Kd3 gf6:; the game ended in a draw.

NeverGiveUp wrote on 11/30/10 at 15:08:11:


Maybe this article is a bit dated now. These games of Yandemirov as black were played after the NIC article you mention:
[Event "20th European Club Clup"]
[Site "Izmir TUR"]
[Date "2004.10.07"]
[EventDate "2004.10.03"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Pavel Smirnov"]
[Black "Valeri Yandemirov"]
[ECO "C72"]
[WhiteElo "2626"]
[BlackElo "2488"]
[PlyCount "193"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5
7. d4 b5 8. Bb3 Nxd4 9. hxg4 Nxb3 10. axb3 hxg4 11. Ng5 Qd7
12. c4 Rb8 13. Rxa6 f6 14. Nc3 fxg5 15. Nxb5 Nf6 16. Ra7 Rc8
17. Re1 Qf7 18. Be3 Qh5 19. Kf1 Kd7 20. b4?! Qh1+ 21. Ke2 Qxg2
22. Qa4 Kd8 23. Nxc7 Rxc7 24. Qa5 Ne8 25. Kd2 Kd7 26. Qb5+ Ke7
27. Rxc7+ Nxc7 28. Qb7 Kd7 29. Bb6 Be7 30. Qxc7+ Ke6 31. Qb7
g3 32. Re2 Rh2 33. Qc8+ Kf7 34. Qg4 Qg1 35. Qxg3 Qb1 36. Kc3
Rh1 37. Qd3 Rc1+ 38. Rc2 Rd1 39. Rd2 Rc1+ 40. Kb3 Qa1 41. c5
dxc5 42. bxc5 Kg6 43. Rc2 Rd1 44. Qf3 Rd4 45. Rc4 Rd2 46. Qc3
Rxf2 47. c6 Rf6 48. c7 Rxb6+ 49. Kc2 Rd6 50. Qf3 Rb6 51. Qf5+
Kh6 52. Qxe5 Bf6 53. c8=Q Rxb2+ 54. Qxb2 Qxb2+ 55. Kd1 Qb3+
56. Kd2 g4 57. Qe6 Qf3 58. e5 Qf2+ 59. Kd3 Qf3+ 60. Kd4 Qd1+
61. Kc5 Qe2 62. Kd6 Kg5 63. exf6 Qxe6+ 64. Kxe6 gxf6 65. Kd5
g3 66. Ke4 g2 67. Rc8 f5+ 68. Kf3 g1=N+ 69. Ke3 Nh3 70. Rc6
Nf4 71. Kd4 Ng6 72. Rc1 Kf6 73. Ke3 Kg5 74. Kd4 Kf6 75. Kd5
Nf4+ 76. Kd6 Ng6 77. Re1 Nf4 78. Re8 Ng6 79. Ra8 Kf7 80. Kd5
Kf6 81. Ra6+ Kg5 82. Ke6 Nf4+ 83. Kf7 Nd5 84. Rg6+ Kh4
85. Rh6+ Kg5 86. Rh1 Ne3 87. Ke6 f4 88. Rg1+ Ng4 89. Rf1 Ne3
90. Rf2 Ng4 91. Rf1 Ne3 92. Rg1+ Ng4 93. Rf1 Ne3 94. Rg1+ Ng4
95. Kd5 Kf5 96. Kd4 f3 97. Rf1 1/2-1/2

Both players continued the discussion. Smirnov Improved at move 20:
[Event "European Club Cup"]
[Site "Feugen AUT"]
[Date "2006.10.11"]
[EventDate "2006.10.08"]
[Round "4"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Pavel Smirnov"]
[Black "Valeri Yandemirov"]
[ECO "C72"]
[WhiteElo "2623"]
[BlackElo "2528"]
[PlyCount "112"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5
7. d4 b5 8. Bb3 Nxd4 9. hxg4 Nxb3 10. axb3 hxg4 11. Ng5 Qd7
12. c4 Rb8 13. Rxa6 f6 14. Nc3 fxg5 15. Nxb5 Nf6 16. Ra7 Rc8
17. Re1 Qf7 18. Be3 Qh5 19. Kf1 Kd7 20. Qa1 Qh1+ 21. Ke2 Qxg2
22. Nxc7 Rxc7 23. Qa4+ Kd8 24. Qa5 Ne8 25. Kd2 Kd7 26. Qb5+
Ke7 27. Rxc7+ Nxc7 28. Qb7 Kd7 29. Bb6 Be7 30. Qxc7+ Ke6
31. Ra1 Qxe4 32. Ra7 Re8 33. Qd7+ Kf7 34. Qxd6 g3 35. fxg3
Qg2+ 36. Kc1 Qxg3 37. Bc5 Qf4+ 38. Kc2 Qf5+ 39. Kc3 Qf3+
40. Kb4 Qf6 41. Qd5+ Kg6 42. Qe4+ Kh5 43. Rxe7 Rxe7 44. Bxe7
Qxe7+ 45. c5 g4 46. Kb5 g3 47. c6 Qd6 48. Qh7+ Kg4 49. Qxg7+
Kf3 50. Qf7+ Ke3 51. c7 Qd3+ 52. Qc4 Qd7+ 53. Kb6 Qc8 54. Qa6
Qe6+ 55. Ka7 Qd7 56. Qb6+ Ke4 1-0

I supose an improvement over this is needed to play this line as black

Sorry for no PGN attachment, i'm at work now.

Thanks everyone.

Martin - I had a (quick) look at Qb3 and it's quite an old line (Capablanca) where black is OK. after 9.Qb3 b5 10.Qd5 black has to play the amazing 10. ... Nd4!! and holds his own after 11.cd4 Ne7. Also 9. ... Rb8 should certainly be doable (equal) and transposes after 10.Re1 Be7. actually this is exactly what black is after - very compicated interesting lines with an about equal verdict.

agropop - your 5.0-0 is certainly much more critical. I'd say after 5. ... Bd7 white can go 6.d4! what is an improvement over 5.d4 since black has already played Bd7. Your 6.c4 is also an interesting idea. There has however been an article in NIC yearbook about 5. ... Bg4 stating that with Yandemirov's novelies black is OK.

Jon - thanks for bringing the book to my attention, about time someone starts writing about this amazing stuff! All kinds of stuff is being written about the RL including almost any sideline (see for instance Sokolov's excellent book) but unfortunately the Modern Steinitz keeps being left out!

I think modern Steiniz is quite well explained in Bronstein's clasic 200 open games. (of course not a great theoretical value these days, but very instructive)
Most principled (but also complicated) is 5.0-0. Of course Yandemirov's games are very important in this line. I think he has played v.s Smirnov (not sure, i'll try to check that and post the games tomorrow) at least 3 games with 2 draws and one defeat. Anyway it seems that black is suffering here.
Main point of 5.0-0 is that against 5...Bd7 white plays 6.c4! and white has an improved version of Duras variation. In Bronstein's view, black should counter this variation (5.c4) with 5...Bg4!, with the logical idea of playing ...Nf6-d7-c5-e6, since d4 is a nice square. Of course after 5...Bd7 black's bishop has been commited too early.
A model game i recall in this line with 5...Bd7 is Rodriguez Céspedes-Reyes Larenas, Novi Sad 1990. In fact black got a bad king's indian, as sometimes happens in the Ruy Lopez.
Since i haven't looked at the modern steiniz for quite a while i don't know if theory regards 6.d4 stronger than 6.c4.

just an aside - two funny anecdotes about the Modern Steintiz

1.The strong grandmaster Steiner has fallen for Noah's ark trap.
2.No one less than Alekhine (another great expert on the modern Steinitz) said that white could force a draw after 1.e4 e5 2.nf3 nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4?! b5 6.Bb3 Nd4: 7.Nd4: ed4: 8.Qd4:?? c5 9.Qd5 Be6 with 10.Qc6+, whereas it's an easy win for black after 10. ... Bd7 11.Qd5 c4 rather than Be6.