Spanish Opening (Ruy Lopez): the most played opening in the world

The Spanish Opening — also known as the Ruy Lopez — is one of the oldest openings in modern chess. It gets its name from Rodrigo (Ruy) López de Segura, a Spanish priest who analyzed it in 1561 in his famous chess book. It hasn’t stopped being played since. If I tell you it’s still the most popular opening in grandmaster tournaments today, you already have an idea of its quality.

How do you play the Spanish Opening?

The Spanish is perfect if you play e4 and want an opening with clear ideas and real depth. It’s used by beginners eager to learn all the way up to the best grandmasters in the world. I recommend studying it within the open openings tree, where it fits.

The first three moves are these:

e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5

What’s happening here? Notice: the bishop on b5 doesn’t directly attack any pawn. What it does is press the knight on c6, the piece that defends Black’s e5 pawn. The idea is indirect but very powerful: if that knight ever disappears, the e5 pawn is left hanging.

With this, White isn’t looking to win material right away. They’re after something more valuable: a lasting positional advantage. That’s the secret of the Spanish.

Throughout the opening you’ll try to place two pawns in the center, especially the d4 advance. That’s the big goal. Black, on the other side, has several ways to respond. Let’s look at the main ones.

Variations of the Spanish Opening

To master the Ruy Lopez you need a solid, no-surprises repertoire. You don’t have to learn it all at once: start with the closed line and then add variations. Here are the most important ones.

Spanish Opening with 3…a6

e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6

This is the most played reply in the world. Black asks directly: so what are you going to do with the bishop? This is where the variation tree really opens up.

The Exchange Variation

One of the most direct lines is the Exchange Variation: 4. Bxc6 dxc6. White gives up the bishop pair, but in exchange leaves Black’s pawns doubled on the c-file. This variation was a favorite of two very different world champions: Lasker and Fischer.

e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6

White’s plan is simple: trade the d-pawn for Black’s e-pawn, simplify the game by trading queens and pieces, and then exploit the kingside pawn majority to win the endgame.

That said, there’s a trap you should know. After 4. Bxc6 dxc6, White must NOT play 5. Nxe5, because Black immediately recovers the pawn with 5…Qd4. Look closely at that d4 square: it attacks the knight and the e4 pawn at the same time.

e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 Qd4

The Closed Variation

When Black plays Nf6, they develop a piece while also threatening the e4 pawn. White responds by castling to get the king safe and consolidate the center.

What would happen if Black took the e4 pawn with the knight? We’ll look at that in the open variation, further ahead. Here we stay in the closed line.

After White castles, Black plays Be7. Now they threaten to win the e4 pawn with b5 followed by Nxe4. White can’t ignore that threat: they play Re1, defending the pawn and pressing with the idea of Bxc6 and Nxe5.

Black responds with b5, kicking the bishop away, and then castles too. From here the position is rich and balanced, with clear plans for both sides.

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d6 9. h3

This is the tabiya position of the closed Spanish: the starting point from which dozens of variations branch out. White’s big goal is to play d4 and maneuver the knight from b1 to g3, passing through d2 and f1. That knight on g3 supports the center and presses the kingside.

The Marshall Attack

If after Black castles, Black plays d5, we enter one of the most aggressive and spectacular lines of the entire Spanish Opening: the Marshall Attack.

This idea was invented by Frank Marshall, the great American genius. It took him more than ten years to develop the theory, and when he finally played it against world champion José Raúl Capablanca in 1918… he lost. Even so, the attack carries his name and is still played today at every level.

Black’s idea is to boldly sacrifice a pawn to obtain a brutal initiative.

1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12. d4 Bd6 13.Re1

White has won a pawn. But that pawn comes at a very high price. Black has both bishops active and the queen pointing directly at the white king. Meanwhile, all of White’s queenside pieces remain undeveloped on the back rank. Does that sound like a good deal? Not so fast.

The Chigorin Defense

Back to the closed Spanish position. If Black, instead of the Marshall Attack, plays Na5 after d6 and c3, we enter the Chigorin Defense.

With Na5 Black speeds up the c5 advance to fight for the center. It’s an aggressive move: it leaves the knight on the side of the board, away from the action, but with the intention of bringing it back into play later.

e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5

The Breyer Variation

The Breyer Variation starts with Nb8, a move that seems surprising at first: Black retreats the knight to its starting square. But it has its logic: it prepares the c5 advance to fight for the center from a different angle and control more key squares.

White continues developing pieces and preparing the attack. Black, meanwhile, will soon push c5 and build their own game.

e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Nb8 10. d4 Nbd7

The Zaitsev Variation

In the Zaitsev Variation, Black looks for fast development, taking advantage of the fact that White’s bishop on b3 spent several tempi getting there. However, that bishop now points at Black’s diagonal, and the f7 square is exposed, since the black king will take several moves to castle.

If Black manages to castle and get the king to safety, they get a solid position with good counterattacking prospects.

e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 d6 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5

There are many more variations in the closed Spanish that we’ll cover little by little: the Karpov Variation (Nd7), the Anderssen Variation (d3) and others. Each has its own personality.

The Open Variation of the Spanish Opening

In the Open Variation of the Ruy Lopez, Black captures the e4 pawn with the knight: Nxe4. But don’t think it’s a free pawn. White has precise resources to recover it and get compensation. It’s a tactical, direct line I’ll show you next.

Games with the Spanish Opening

Nothing better than seeing the Spanish in action through real high-level games. These two show you the range of possibilities it offers.

Exchange Variation Spanish Opening game

2020.02.03 – Duda, J. (2737) – Karjakin, Sergey (2773)

Closed Variation Spanish Opening game

2016.04.01 – So, W. (2775) – Carlsen, M. (2834) [1/2-1/2]

Is it worth learning the Spanish?

I’ll tell you straight: yes, very much so. Here’s why.

Advantages

• It’s the most played opening at the elite level. If you study it, you’re learning real chess, not niche theory.
• The main idea is easy to understand: pressure the knight that defends e5.
• It gives you a lasting positional advantage without needing immediate tactical complications.
• It works just as well as a beginner’s repertoire as it does as a grandmaster’s weapon.

Drawbacks

• The variations run very deep. Spanish theory can occupy years of study.
• Black has many solid replies, so you’ll need to prepare more than one line.
• It requires patience: it’s not a quick-attack opening, but one of accumulating advantage.