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: Closed, Kecskemet Variation
C72 18 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bd7 6. c3 Nf6 7. d4 Be7 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. Re1 Be8
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense
C72 9 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense
C73 11 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. Bxc6+ bxc6 6. d4
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense
C73 12 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. Bxc6+ bxc6 6. d4 f6
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense
C74 9 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense
C74 13 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 f5 6. exf5 Bxf5 7. O-O
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense, Siesta Variation
C74 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 f5
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense
C75 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 Bd7
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense
C75 12 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. c3 Bd7 6. d4 Nge7
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense, Fianchetto Variation
C76 12 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 g6 4. c3 a6 5. Ba4 d6 6. d4 Bd7
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation
C77 9 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Bayreuth Variation
C77 9 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Bxc6
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