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: Exchange Variation, Lutikov Variation
C68 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 bxc6
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Romanovsky Variation
C68 11 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3 f6 6. d3
Ruy Lopez: Exchange, Alekhine Variation
C68 14 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd7
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Alapin Gambit
C69 12 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Bronstein Variation
C69 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Qd6
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Gligoric Variation
C69 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O f6
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, King's Bishop Variation
C69 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Bd6
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Normal Variation
C69 9 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O
Ruy Lopez: Bird's Defense Deferred
C70 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nd4
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense
C70 6 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Alapin's Defense Deferred
C70 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Bb4
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Caro Variation
C70 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5
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