Ruy Lopez

The Ruy Lopez begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5. White's bishop leaves f1 and attacks the knight on c6, a piece that helps defend Black's e5-pawn. The pressure on e5 is therefore indirect: White first questions one of its defenders, but does not win the pawn automatically.

How the Ruy Lopez begins

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Starte4e5Nf3Nc6Bb5

Starting position

The sequence begins with both armies on their original squares.

Bb5 also develops a piece and brings White closer to castling, the special move that improves king safety and activates a rook. Black has many sound replies. The most common is 3...a6, asking the bishop to retreat or exchange itself for the knight. Another is 3...Nf6, the Berlin Defense, which attacks e4 at once.

A family of positions

• With 4.Bxc6, White enters the Exchange Variation and changes Black's pawn structure.
• After 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O, 5...Be7 leads to the Closed Ruy Lopez, while 5...Nxe4 begins the Open Ruy Lopez.
• In closed lines, Black may choose the central pawn sacrifice of the Marshall Attack or slower maneuvering systems.

In many variations White prepares c3 and d4 to build a strong center, while Black develops and looks for a pawn break such as ...d5 or ...c5. A pawn break is an advance intended to change the pawn structure and open lines. The Ruy Lopez can produce direct attacks, technical endgames, or long maneuvering battles depending on how the central tension is resolved.

A common central plan

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c3 often prepares d4, which aims to build a broad center and challenge the e5-pawn.

Both sides fight for the center

This is a representative position, not a forced sequence. The arrows show plans that often appear later.

1. c3 often prepares d4, which aims to build a broad center and challenge the e5-pawn.
2. Black tries to play ...d5 when the position allows it.

The opening is named after the Spanish cleric and author Ruy López de Segura, who analyzed it in the sixteenth century. Spanish Opening and Spanish Game are alternative English names for the same opening.