Ruy Lopez

The Ruy Lopez, or Spanish Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5), has the most extensively developed theory of all the Open Games. White attacks the knight that defends e5. The opening is still regularly played in top-level competition.

Origins

The opening is named after Ruy López de Segura, a 16th-century Spanish priest who studied it in his chess book of 1561. It appears even earlier, in the Göttingen manuscript from around 1490. The main line with 3...a6 is called the Morphy Defense after the American player Paul Morphy, who played it in his 1858 match against Adolf Anderssen; the move was later named after him, although he did not originate it. A common nickname for the opening is "the Spanish Torture", because it is difficult for Black to achieve equality.

The idea

3.Bb5 does not win a pawn immediately. After Bxc6 and Nxe5, Black can recover it with ...Qd4. The bishop move develops a piece, prepares castling and sets up a potential pin against Black's king. White usually plays O-O, Re1, c3 and d4 to build a strong centre, and then manoeuvres the queen's knight via d2–f1–g3. Black gains space on the queenside with ...a6 and ...b5 and fights to keep the e5-pawn.

Main lines

• Morphy Defense 3...a6: the main road, leading to the Closed Ruy Lopez with systems like the Chigorin and the Breyer.
• Marshall Attack 8...d5: a pawn sacrifice for active play against White's king. It became famous through Frank Marshall's game against Capablanca in New York in 1918.
• Berlin Defense 3...Nf6: Vladimir Kramnik used it in four games as Black against Kasparov in their 2000 world championship match, and all four were drawn. Its queenless main line is known as the Berlin endgame.
• Exchange Variation 4.Bxc6: White gives up the bishop pair for a better pawn structure. Emanuel Lasker had great success with it, most famously against Capablanca at St. Petersburg 1914, and Bobby Fischer developed it into a serious weapon in the 1960s.
• Sidelines: the Schliemann 3...f5 (a sharp counterattack), the Steinitz 3...d6 and the Classical 3...Bc5.

Strengths and weaknesses

Strengths

• Very sound: White often keeps a small, lasting initiative.
• Teaches deep strategy: pawn structures, manoeuvring and the fight for the centre.
• Rich enough for a lifetime; many world champions played it with both colours.

Weaknesses

• A huge amount of theory, especially in the Closed lines and the Marshall.
• The Berlin and the Marshall let well-prepared opponents reach safe, drawish positions.
• The plans are slow, which is hard for players who want quick tactics.

Who should play it

The Ruy Lopez suits patient, positional players who want to play for a win without big risks and who enjoy long middlegames. It is strongest against players who defend passively or don't understand the structure after ...a6 and ...b5. It is least effective against opponents armed with the Berlin, the Marshall or the Petrov, who aim for solidity. Beginners often do better with the Italian Game first.

The numbers

On Lichess White wins 51–52% below 2200 and Black about 44%. In master games over the board, 53% of games are drawn, White wins 29% and Black 18.5%.