Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 · C60–C99

Starting positionWhite to move

0 / 5

The bishop is not really attacking the knight yet

The idea

White develops the bishop to b5, attacking the knight that defends e5 — pressure that lasts for the next twenty moves and defines the whole opening.

Main line: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

What White wants

Increase the pressure on e5 with d4 and Re1 before winning the pawn
Play c3 and d4 to build a broad centre once the bishop is safe
Trade on c6 at the right moment to damage Black's structure

What Black wants

Ask the bishop a question immediately with ...a6 and ...b5
Hold the centre with ...d6 and ...Be7 and expand later with ...d5
Get counterplay on the queenside where the extra pawn space lies

Key idea

Understand this and the moves stop needing to be memorised.

The bishop is not really attacking the knight yet

Bb5 attacks the knight that guards e5, but Bxc6 does not automatically win a pawn. After ...dxc6 and Nxe5, ...Qd4 attacks both the knight and e4 pawn. White usually builds pressure with castling, Re1 and d4 rather than cashing in the threat immediately.

Common mistake

Winning the e5 pawn with Bxc6 and Nxe5 as if it were free. After ...dxc6 and ...Qd4 Black regains the pawn and gets the bishop pair for nothing.

Mistake example: Qxe4+.

Representative position

The position this opening is aiming at. Copy the FEN, or open it in the analysis board and let the engine tell you what it is worth.

r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/1B2p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 3 3

Analyze this position

Variations

3 lines branching from here.

Traps in this opening

Moves in this opening that look natural and lose.

Fishing Pole TrapNe1 saves the knight from the g4 pawn and keeps White a piece ahead. It looks like a safe way to consolidate the captured knight.Noah's Ark TrapQd5 centralizes the queen and keeps pressure on f7. White concentrates on queen activity rather than the bishop's remaining retreat squares.

All opening traps

Related openings

Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 · C70–C99The main move: Black asks the bishop what it wants immediately, and the game becomes a long fight over whether Black can free the position with ...b5 and ...d5.Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 · C65–C67Black answers the Ruy Lopez by taking on e4 and accepting a queenless endgame with a slightly worse structure — the Berlin Wall, almost impossible to beat.Ruy Lopez: Closed1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 · C84–C99The classical Spanish: both sides complete development behind their pawn chains and the game becomes a slow manoeuvring battle with a tiny edge for White.Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 · C68–C69White gives up the bishop immediately for the knight, saddling Black with doubled c-pawns and a long, uncomfortable endgame.Italian Game1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 · C50–C59The oldest opening in chess: the bishop takes the diagonal that points at f7, the weakest square in Black's camp, and both sides develop fast.Ruy Lopez: Schliemann Defense1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 · C63Black ignores the pressure on e5 and hits back with ...f5 at once — the sharpest, most double-edged answer to the Spanish.