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: Berlin Defense, Closed Wolf Variation
C66 12 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 exd4
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Hedgehog Variation
C66 12 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 Be7
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Improved Steinitz Defense
C66 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Tarrasch Trap
C66 14 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 Bd7 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 O-O
Ruy Lopez: Closed Berlin Defense, Chigorin Variation
C66 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Nd7
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Berlin Wall
C67 18 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nc3 Bd7
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Cordel Variation
C67 16 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nf5
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Minckwitz Variation
C67 11 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. dxe5
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Pillsbury Variation
C67 17 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7 9. b3
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Rio Gambit Accepted
C67 8 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Rio de Janeiro Variation
C67 10 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Rio de Janeiro Variation
C67 26 plies
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Be7 6. Qe2 Nd6 7. Bxc6 bxc6 8. dxe5 Nb7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. Re1 Nc5 11. Nd4 Ne6 12. Be3 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 c5
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