Opening Overview

Ruy Lopez

234 lines
white repertoire

About This Opening

White develops the bishop to b5 and targets the knight that defends the center.

The opening's main value is its characteristic move order, which helps steer the game toward familiar structures and plans.

When studying it, focus on the first forcing decisions, the main branching points, and the kind of middlegames the opening is designed to reach.

Key ideas
  • Typical theme: recognize the key move order early.
  • Learn the first critical branching decisions.
  • Best for players who want a repeatable repertoire line.
  • Understand the resulting pawn structure and piece placement.

Choose a variation

Ruy Lopez: Classical Defense, Boden Variation
C64 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Qe7
Ruy Lopez: Classical Defense, Zaitsev Variation
C64 9 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. O-O Nd4 5. b4
Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation
C64 6 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5
Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Central Variation
C64 7 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3
Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Charousek Variation
C64 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Bb6
Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Cordel Gambit
C64 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 f5
Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Konikowski Gambit
C64 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 d5
Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Modern Main Line
C64 13 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Bc5 5. c3 O-O 6. d4 Bb6 7. Bg5
Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Spanish Wing Gambit
C64 7 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. b4
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense
C65 6 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense
C65 7 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation
C65 7 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3
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