Ruy Lopez
Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest and famous chess openings and usually called as the Spanish game. The game starts with the following moves:
1) e4 e5
2) Nf3 Nf6
3) Bd5 …
Ruy Lopez
This chess opening was named after a Spanish priest in the 16th century Ruy López de Segura. However, this opening was already established before him at around 1490. This opening became famous when a Russian player named Carl Jaenisch found several potentials about the opening. Most of the chess players today have played this opening because of its complexity with several variations to choose from.
There are several variations for this opening that includes the following:
• Morphy’s Defence
• Close Defence (alternative variations to the main line)
• Close Defence (main line)
• Other black defences 3) Bd5 a6.
In Morphy’s Defence, there are other variations which includes:
• Exchange variations
• Norwegian Defence
• Steinitz Defence deferred
• Schliemann Defence Deferred
• Open Defence
• Russian Defence
• Arkhangelsk Defence.
You can also find several variations in the main line Close Defence that includes:
• Pilnik Variation
• Smyslov Variation
• Karpov Variation
• Kholmov Variation
• Bogoljubow Variation
• Chigorin Variation
• Breyer Variation
• Zaitsev Variation
There are also other alternatives to the main line Close Defence that you can opt to use that includes:
• Delayed Exchange Variation Deferred
• Centre Attack
• Marshall Attack
• Trajkovi? Variation
• Averbakh Variation
• Worrall Attack.
Other Ruy Lopez variations that do not use the 3) Bd5 a6 combination includes:
• Classical Defence
• Cozio Defence
• Smyslov Defence
• Schliemann Defence
• Steinitz Defence
• Berlin Defence
• Bird’s Defence
Here are some of the uncommon variations of the Ruy Lopez opening:
• Bulgarian Variation
• Rotary Defence or Albany Defence
• Brentano Defence
• Nuremberg Defence
• Vinogradov Variation
• Retreat Variation
• Pollock’s Defence
• Sawyer’s Gambit
• Lucena Defence
• Alapin’s Defence
For a novice chess player, this will look overwhelming considering the number of variations that you will have to consider for a single chess opening. The idea here is just to focus on the common Ruy Lopez variations first and once you master these variations, you can gradually move to other uncommon Ruy Lopez variations.
You can try the classical variation first in your study, which was used by notable chess masters like Wilhelm Steinitz. Or you can use the Morphy’s Defence that was popularized by Paul Morphy.
The Ruy Lopez is advantageous for the player playing the white piece because in this opening, black will struggle to achieve equality on the position. It is good to start a chess game where you have the initial advantage.
Here is one of the best books that can help you learn Ruy Lopez:
• The Ruy Lopez: A Guide for Black by Johnsen & Johannessen – The book talks about the handling of black pieces for the Ruy Lopez openings. This book is helpful especially if you are playing the black pieces because it will teach you certain techniques that will achieve faster equality on the position.