The Ruy Lopez, or the Spanish Game as most of the world calls it, has been the most played opening at the top level for a century and a half. It starts like the Italian, then splits off on move three: this time the bishop goes to b5 to lean on the knight that defends e5. It’s subtler than the Italian and a touch more theoretical, but the core ideas are within reach the day you start out.

The first moves of the Ruy Lopez

It runs 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5.

The bishop on b5 targets the c6 knight, the guardian of the e5 pawn — that's the whole idea of the Spanish.

Look closely at the third move. In the Italian, the bishop goes to c4 and eyes f7. Here it goes to b5 and attacks the c6 knight. Now that knight defends the e5 pawn. The idea that springs to mind is “I’m going to win the e5 pawn.” Careful: it doesn’t work right away. After 3…a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5, Black replies 5…Qd4 and gets the pawn back. The pressure on c6 is real, but it’s indirect. That’s the true nature of the Ruy Lopez: a lasting nuisance, not an immediate gain.

The idea behind the opening

The whole Ruy Lopez revolves around a tug-of-war over the e5 pawn. White harasses the defender, Black protects it, and meanwhile each side develops and castles.

Most games follow Black’s move 3…a6 (the Morphy Defense), which asks the bishop to make up its mind. Usually it retreats to a4: 4.Ba4. The bishop keeps its line on c6 while dodging the trade. Black continues 4…Nf6, White castles 5.O-O, and a long maneuvering game begins. This is the kind of opening where you’re not trying to mate on move 10 but to reach a better position that you slowly convert.

After 5.O-O, White has castled and gets ready for c3 and d4 — the long maneuvering game begins.

A detail many beginners forget: after 5.O-O, the e4 pawn is no longer defended, and Black can grab it with 5…Nxe4 (the Open Defense). It’s no gift, White gets the initiative back, but you need to know it so you don’t panic.

The main variations to know

The Ruy Lopez is a continent. You don’t need to learn all of it to start. Here are the two black replies you’ll meet most.

The Morphy Defense (3…a6)

This is the main line, played in the vast majority of games. After 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O, Black has several plans, but the most classical remains 5…Be7 followed by castling. You then reach positions where White plays c3 and d4 to build a center, while Black looks for counterplay on the queenside. Solid for both sides.

If you want to simplify your life, there’s the Exchange Variation: 4.Bxc6 dxc6. You give up the bishop pair, but you saddle Black with an unbalanced pawn structure on the queenside. Many practical players choose it to dodge tons of theory. It’s an honest option for a beginner.

The Exchange Variation: you give up the bishop pair but leave Black with doubled c-pawns, and very little theory to memorize.

The Berlin Defense (3…Nf6)

Instead of 3…a6, Black develops the knight right away and attacks e4. The Berlin has had a fortress reputation since Kramnik used it to neutralize Kasparov in 2000. At the beginner level, you don’t need to know its finer points. Just play 4.O-O and develop: the position stays healthy.

How to really learn it

The Ruy Lopez scares people because the theory is enormous, and everywhere you read that you have to memorize twenty moves deep. That’s true at master level. It’s got nothing to do with your games.

What matters at your level is the guiding thread: the bishop on b5 harasses the defender of e5, it drops back to a4 when it gets chased, you castle, you get c3 and d4 ready. Five or six ideas total. The rest comes from playing.

Prologue is built around exactly that. You replay the Ruy Lopez move by move, first with a guide and then from memory, each move’s point spelled out beside it. Rather than chanting “a6, a4, Nf6, O-O” like a spell, you see why the bishop ducks the trade and why e5 isn’t yours to grab yet. When the opponent leaves the book, you’ve got the plan in hand instead of a half-remembered sequence.

If you’re truly a beginner, start instead with the Italian Game, which is more direct, and save the Spanish for when you want to step up a level. Both live in the White openings pillar.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it called the Ruy Lopez?

After Ruy López de Segura, a 16th-century Spanish priest who analyzed this opening in a book from 1561. “Spanish Game” and “Ruy Lopez” mean exactly the same thing, it’s just a matter of habit depending on the country.

Is the Ruy Lopez too hard for a beginner?

No, but it asks for a bit more patience than the Italian. Its positions are often won over the long run rather than by a quick trap. If you enjoy maneuvering and improving your pieces move after move, it will suit you very well. Otherwise, start with the Italian.

Do I win the e5 pawn with Bb5?

Not directly. After 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5, Black plays 5…Qd4 and gets the pawn straight back with a good position. The pressure on e5 is a slow-burn theme rather than a quick win. Remember that and it’ll spare you a nasty surprise.

What’s the difference from the Italian Game?

White’s third move. In the Italian, 3.Bc4 points the bishop at f7 for a more direct attack. In the Spanish, 3.Bb5 attacks the defender of the central pawn and plays for the long haul. The Italian is more accessible, the Spanish richer and more played at the top.