Ruy Lopez (Spanish Game)
A classic, solid choice for White: pressure with the bishop on b5, castle, then take the center with c3 and d4.
Basics: the first moves of the Ruy Lopez
Take the center, develop your knight and put pressure on the knight that guards e5. These three moves start every Ruy Lopez.
- The first three moves: center, knight and bishop to b53 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black plays a6: bishop to a4 (Closed Ruy Lopez)
Retreat the bishop to a4 and castle. Then rook e1, bishop b3, c3 and h3 make a solid setup: the goal is to push d4.
- Against a6: bishop to a4, then castle2 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Rook e1, bishop b3, c3 and h34 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black castles first: h3 first2 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black plays d6 after a62 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black reroutes the c6 knight (Chigorin, Breyer)
After 9.h3 the plan is d4 (if a knight hits your bishop from a5, first bishop to c2). Then the knight travels d2–f1–g3 to the kingside. Against Black's other ninth moves, d4 is the answer too.
- Knight to a5: bishop to c2, then d43 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight back to b8 (Breyer): d4 and bishop to c23 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- The knight's journey: d2, f1, g32 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black takes on e4 (Open Ruy Lopez)
Open the center with d4. If Black plays b5: bishop to b3, take on e5 (the pawn comes back) and c3. If Black takes on d4, rook to e1 pins the e4 knight.
- Open the center with d4 and regain the pawn4 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black also takes on d4: rook to e12 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black plays the knight to f6 at once (Berlin Defense)
Instead of heavy theory, the calm d3: guard e4, then c3 and castle; the plan is like the Closed Ruy. If Black leaves e5 alone (bishop e7), take on c6 and win e5 with the knight.
- Bishop to c5: c3 and castle3 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black plays d6: castle, then c32 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight back to e7: watch out for the trap2 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Bishop to e7: take on c6 and win e52 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
If Black tries another third move
Less common moves. The same principle in each: keep developing, castle and secure the center with your pawns.
- Bishop to c5 (Classical Defense): c3 and d43 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Knight to d4 (Bird Defense): trade and castle4 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black plays f5 (Schliemann): the calm d33 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- If Black plays d6 (Steinitz Defense): d43 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion
- Other knight to e7 (Cozio): castle, c3 and d43 neue Züge🔒 Beende zuerst die vorige Lektion