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1.Opening

Ruy Lopez

You play WhiteC92StrategicAdvanced

The "Spanish Game" — 500 years old and still a world-championship favorite. Slow, deep pressure on Black's center.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 …

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Closed Main Line: position after 9 moves8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h
Closed Main Line: position after 9 moves
2.Ideas

What the opening is about

Key ideas

  1. Bb5 pressures the c6 knight, the main defender of e5.
  2. Build with c3 and d4 for a big center; h3 stops annoying pins.
  3. The b3 bishop eyes f7 from a safe distance.
  4. Patience: White often reroutes the b1 knight via d2–f1–g3.
3.Line 1

Line 1 of 2 · 17 moves

Closed Main Line

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Your moves Opponent
No. White Black1
e4Grabs the center and opens diagonals for the queen and the light-squared bishop. The most popular first move in chess.
e5Black mirrors White, claiming an equal share of the center and freeing their own queen and bishop.
2
Nf3Develops toward the center and immediately attacks the e5 pawn. Knights before bishops is a good rule of thumb.
Nc6Defends e5 while developing a knight to its most natural square. Black also gains control of d4.
3
Bb5The Ruy Lopez. The bishop attacks the knight that defends e5, creating long-term pressure on Black's center.
a6The Morphy Defense: question the bishop right away. Taking on c6 now doesn't win a pawn yet.
After 3…a6
After 3…a6
No. White Black4
Ba4Keeps the pressure on c6 instead of trading. (Bxc6 is the Exchange Variation.)
Nf6Develops and attacks e4.
5
O-OWhite doesn't need to defend e4: if ...Nxe4, Re1 or d4 wins it back with a big lead in development.
Be7Calm development, preparing to castle. The bishop also guards the kingside.
6
Re1Now e4 is protected — and Bxc6 followed by Nxe5 becomes a real threat.
b5Kicks the bishop to remove the threat on c6.
After 6…b5
After 6…b5
No. White Black7
Bb3The bishop lands on the a2–g8 diagonal, pointing at f7 again.
d6Solidly supports e5 and opens the c8 bishop.
8
c3Prepares d4 and gives the bishop a retreat square on c2.
O-OBlack castles.
9
h3Prevents ...Bg4 pinning the f3 knight, so d4 can be played with full support. The main battleground of the Closed Ruy.
After 9.h3
After 9.h3
4.Line 2

Line 2 of 2 · 13 moves

Exchange Variation

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Your moves Opponent
No. White Black1
e4Grabs the center and opens diagonals for the queen and the light-squared bishop. The most popular first move in chess.
e5Black mirrors White, claiming an equal share of the center and freeing their own queen and bishop.
2
Nf3Develops toward the center and immediately attacks the e5 pawn. Knights before bishops is a good rule of thumb.
Nc6Defends e5 while developing a knight to its most natural square. Black also gains control of d4.
3
Bb5The Ruy Lopez. The bishop attacks the knight that defends e5, creating long-term pressure on Black's center.
a6The Morphy Defense: question the bishop right away. Taking on c6 now doesn't win a pawn yet.
After 3…a6
After 3…a6
No. White Black4
Bxc6The Exchange Variation: White gives up the bishop to wreck Black's pawn structure.
dxc6Recaptures toward the center, opening lines for the queen and c8 bishop. Black gets the bishop pair as compensation.
5
O-OWhite doesn't grab e5 yet — after Nxe5, ...Qd4 forks knight and e4. Castling first makes the threat real.
f6Solidly defends e5. Black accepts a slightly loose king for a rock-solid center.
6
d4Opens the center while Black is still undeveloped.
exd4Trades off White's center pawn.
After 6…exd4
After 6…exd4
No. White Black7
Nxd4White aims for an endgame where the 4-vs-3 kingside majority can create a passed pawn — the whole point of the Exchange.
After 7.Nxd4
After 7.Nxd4
5.Play

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6.More

More 1.e4 openings