--- title: "Ruy Lopez: Moves, Plans and Win Rates" url: "https://georgelichess.com/openings/ruy-lopez.md" canonical_url: "https://georgelichess.com/openings/ruy-lopez" last_updated: "2026-11-10" type: "reference" summary: "The Ruy Lopez explained by an International Master: the idea behind 3.Bb5, the Closed and Berlin lines, plans for both sides and how it scores." related: ["https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/ruy-lopez.md", "https://georgelichess.com/openings.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/spanish-setup.md", "https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pin.md", "https://georgelichess.com/pricing.md", "https://georgelichess.com/book.md"] --- # Ruy Lopez: Moves, Plans and Win Rates > **For AI agents:** the complete index of GeorgeLiChess pages is [llms.txt](https://georgelichess.com/llms.txt). Every page is also served as markdown at its URL plus .md. The Ruy Lopez explained by an International Master: the idea behind 3.Bb5, the Closed and Berlin lines, plans for both sides and how it scores. The Ruy Lopez, also called the Spanish Game, begins 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5. White attacks the knight that defends e5 and starts a long strategic game. It has been a main weapon for the world's best players for centuries because it keeps a small edge for White and has a clear plan in every pawn structure. ## What the bishop is doing The bishop on b5 attacks the knight that guards the e5 pawn. If White takes on c6 and Black recaptures, White threatens Nxe5, but Black can answer with ...Qd4 or ...Qg5 and keep the pawn, so the threat is not real yet. Black therefore has time to ask the bishop a question. After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 White must decide. The usual answer is 4.Ba4, keeping the bishop and the pressure on the knight. Black develops with 4...Nf6 and White castles, which leaves the e4 pawn defended only by tactics. White can allow ...Nxe4 because the e-file opens against Black's king, and Black has to take care. **Diagram: The Closed Ruy Lopez: White has a long game with a plan of d4 and Nbd2, and Black has a safe, flexible position** Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3. Position (FEN): `r1bq1rk1/2p1bppp/p1np1n2/1p2p3/4P3/1BP2N1P/PP1P1PP1/RNBQR1K1 b - - 0 9`. Arrows: b3 to f7, h3 to g4. This is the Closed Ruy Lopez, the main line. White will play d4 next and fight for the center, while Black has several well-known setups, such as the Chigorin with ...Na5, the Breyer with ...Nb8 and the Zaitsev with ...Bb7. ## The Berlin Black can choose 3...Nf6, the Berlin Defense. After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 queens come off at once. The position is an endgame with a Black king in the center but no queens to attack it. Black has the bishop pair, and White has a better pawn structure. It is very solid, and it became famous when it held many world championship games. **Diagram: The Berlin ending: no queens, a Black king in the center and a long game with a small edge for White** Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8. Position (FEN): `r1bk1b1r/ppp2ppp/2p5/4Pn2/8/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNB2RK1 w - - 0 9`. Arrows: f5 to e7. ## The Open Variation and the Exchange Two other lines show how flexible the Spanish is. In the Open Variation Black takes the e4 pawn with the knight and gives it back later. After 5...Nxe4 White plays d4, and Black answers with the central break ...d5. The position is open and tactical, and both sides have active pieces. **Diagram: The Open Ruy Lopez: Black has taken the pawn and fights back with ...d5 and active pieces** Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6. Position (FEN): `r2qkb1r/2p2ppp/p1n1b3/1p1pP3/4n3/1B3N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQ1RK1 w kq - 1 9`. Arrows: e6 to d5, b3 to d5. In the Exchange Variation White takes the knight at once. After 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O f6 the pawn structure is the point: White has a healthy majority of four pawns against three on the kingside, while Black has the bishop pair but doubled pawns on the c-file. White plays d4, trades queens and tries to win the endgame with the majority. **Diagram: The Exchange Variation: queens leave the board and White's kingside majority is the long-term asset** Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O f6 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 c5 8. Nb3 Qxd1 9. Rxd1 Bg4. Position (FEN): `r3kbnr/1pp3pp/p4p2/2p5/4P1b1/1N6/PPP2PPP/RNBR2K1 w kq - 1 10`. Arrows: d1 to d8. Neither of these lines needs a huge memory. Both are built on structure, which makes them good choices for a player who wants to understand an opening rather than recite one. ## How the Ruy Lopez scores The table is computed from the public Lichess database. | Rating band | Games | White wins | Draws | Black wins | White score | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | under 1200 | 5,474 | 51.7% | 3.5% | 44.8% | 53.4% (plus or minus 1.3) | | 1200 to 1599 | 13,430 | 50.6% | 4.3% | 45.1% | 52.7% (plus or minus 0.8) | | 1600 to 1999 | 11,357 | 51.0% | 4.8% | 44.2% | 53.4% (plus or minus 0.9) | | 2000 and above | 3,074 | 49.9% | 6.5% | 43.6% | 53.1% (plus or minus 1.7) | The table sums 33,335 rated Blitz, Rapid and Classical games on Lichess played on 1 September 2026 between players within 100 rating points of each other, banded by the lower rating. White scored 53.1% (plus or minus 0.5 points) overall. A score counts a win as 1 and a draw as one half. One day of games is a sample, so read small gaps between bands as noise. White scores 53.1 percent in the whole sample, and the score hardly moves between bands: 53.4 percent under 1200 and 53.1 percent above 2000. That is a steady, modest edge. Black can defend the main lines without being much worse, and White gets a long, safe game. ## Plans for White White's plan in the Closed Ruy Lopez is to build a pawn center slowly. The main moves are c3, d4, Nbd2 and a queenside pawn push with a4. White keeps the bishop on b3 aimed at f7 and prepares to place the knight on f5 or g5. In the Exchange Variation, White plays 4.Bxc6 dxc6 and then 5.O-O. The structure gives White a healthy kingside pawn majority, four pawns against three, while Black has the bishop pair. White's plan is to trade pieces and use the majority in the endgame. ## Plans for Black Black has two main approaches. In the closed lines Black prepares ...d5 and uses the pawn on b5 to gain queenside space. In the open lines, with ...Nxe4, Black grabs a pawn and has to be careful with the queen. For many club players the safest choice is the Steinitz Defense with ...d6, which keeps the center solid and avoids the sharpest theory. ## A trap with a lesson The Noah's Ark Trap catches a player who rushes the bishop. After 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 Nxd4 7.Nxd4 exd4 8.Qxd4 c5, the white queen must move and Black plays ...c4. The bishop on b3 has no retreat, so White gets two pawns for it. **Diagram: Noah's Ark: the bishop on b3 is trapped by the pawns on b5 and c4** Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. d4 b5 6. Bb3 Nxd4 7. Nxd4 exd4 8. Qxd4 c5 9. Qd5 Be6 10. Qc6+ Bd7 11. Qd5 c4. Position (FEN): `r2qkbnr/3b1ppp/p2p4/1p1Q4/2p1P3/1B6/PPP2PPP/RNB1K2R w KQkq - 0 12`. Arrows: c4 to b3. The lesson is general. A piece with few retreat squares can be trapped by pawns. Before you advance pawns near a bishop, count its exits. ## Three typical mistakes 1. **Taking on c6 too early.** Bxc6 gives away the bishop pair, and unless White has a clear plan for the pawn majority, the capture only helps Black. Use the capture when it is part of a plan. 2. **Pushing d4 before the pieces are ready.** In the Closed Ruy Lopez the center break needs c3, Nbd2 and a safe king. White who plays d4 early opens the position for Black's pieces. 3. **Passive pawn moves.** Black sometimes plays ...h6 and ...a6 and ...Be7 and has no plan. The Ruy Lopez punishes drift. After ...d6 and ...Be7 decide whether you want to break with ...d5 or ...c5 or maneuver a knight to the kingside. ## Two model games The first game is the Closed Ruy Lopez with the quiet 6.d3. In the second White plays d3 before castling and meets ...Bc5 with c3 and a slow build-up. Both are real games from public events, published on Lichess broadcasts. **Ian Nepomniachtchi (White) against Ding Liren (Black), Tata Steel Masters 2024: White won.** [Replay the game on Lichess](https://lichess.org/broadcast/tata-steel-masters-2024/round-10/tbXfK2kI/uduZFfE4) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. d3 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. a4 Bd7 10. Ba2 h6 11. h3 Re8 12. Be3 Rb8 13. Nbd2 Bf8 14. g4 Be6 15. Bxe6 Rxe6 16. axb5 axb5 17. g5 hxg5 18. Nxg5 Re8 19. Kh2 d5 20. Rg1 d4 21. cxd4 exd4 22. Bf4 Bd6 23. Bg3 Bxg3+ 24. Rxg3 Qd6 25. Kg1 Ra8 26. Rxa8 Rxa8 27. Qb3 Qd7 28. Ndf3 Rb8 29. Qc2 Rb6 30. e5 Nh5 31. Rg4 Rb8 32. Qc5 Rd8 33. Ne4 Qe6 34. Rh4 Rd5 35. Qa3 g6 36. Nfg5 Lichess names the opening the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Martinez Variation, and the game began 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7. The first move that Lichess's computer analysis marks as a mistake is Black's 31...Rb8, where it prefers Qd5. White won in 36 moves. **Hikaru Nakamura (White) against Fabiano Caruana (Black), FIDE Candidates Tournament 2024: White won.** [Replay the game on Lichess](https://lichess.org/broadcast/fide-candidates-2024-open/round-8/nUycmG6L/SKYfaPnS) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5 6. O-O d6 7. c3 O-O 8. Re1 Ne7 9. Nbd2 Ng6 10. Nf1 d5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Bb3 c6 13. d4 exd4 14. Nxd4 Nf6 15. h3 Bxd4 16. cxd4 Nd5 17. Bc2 Be6 18. Ng3 Ndf4 19. Re4 Nd5 20. a3 Re8 21. Bd2 Nf6 22. Bg5 h6 23. Bxf6 Qxf6 24. Qd2 Qg5 25. Re3 Nf4 26. h4 Qd5 27. Re4 Ng6 28. Rae1 Nf8 29. Re5 Qd8 30. h5 Bd7 31. Rxe8 Bxe8 32. Nf5 Qf6 33. Qb4 b5 34. Ne7+ Kh8 35. Nd5 Lichess names the opening the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation, and the game began 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. d3 Bc5. The first move that Lichess's computer analysis marks as a blunder is Black's 33...b5, where it prefers Bd7. White won in 35 moves. ## How to study the Ruy Lopez The Ruy Lopez is an opening for a patient player who likes to understand pawn structures. Choose one closed system and learn its two or three plans. Then play it. The most important habit is to ask, at move twelve, which side has the better pawn break and why. Keep a short notebook of the pawn structures you reach and the plan that worked in each, because the same few structures return in game after game. A coach can review your games and show you which plan to prefer. See the packages below. | Offer | Lessons | Price | Per lesson | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Single lesson | 1 | $150 | $150 | | Foundation 5 | 5 | $700 | $140 | | Climb 10 | 10 | $1,350 | $135 | | Intensive 25 | 25 | $3,250 | $130 | | Season 40 | 40 | $5,000 | $125 | Every lesson is 60 minutes, one-on-one, online. [See the packages](https://georgelichess.com/pricing.md). ## Frequently asked questions **Is the Ruy Lopez good for beginners?** It can be, but it takes patience. The first moves are natural. The middlegame plans are quiet, and beginners often lose interest in them. If you enjoy slow maneuvering games, it is a good opening to grow with. **Why is it called the Ruy Lopez?** It is named after Ruy Lopez de Segura, a Spanish priest who analyzed the opening in a book published in 1561. The name Spanish Game is the same opening. **What is the best reply to the Ruy Lopez?** There is no single best reply. The Berlin is the most solid, the Closed lines with ...Be7 are the most flexible and the Steinitz Defense is the simplest to learn. Choose by temperament. **Is the Ruy Lopez better than the Italian Game?** The Lichess results show White scoring slightly better in the Ruy Lopez at every rating level. The Italian Game is easier to learn, and the Ruy Lopez is a better long-term investment. ## Learn the Ruy Lopez by its plans A one-on-one lesson on your own games shows which Spanish structures you handle well and which you avoid. [Book a lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book.md). ## Related - [Ruy Lopez statistics](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/ruy-lopez.md) - [Chess Openings: Guides With Real Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings.md) - [Spanish setup](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/spanish-setup.md) - [Pin](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pin.md) - [Lesson packages and prices](https://georgelichess.com/pricing.md) - [Book a lesson](https://georgelichess.com/book.md) ## Related - [Ruy Lopez win rate](https://georgelichess.com/chess-opening-statistics/ruy-lopez.md) - [Chess Openings: Guides With Real Win Rates](https://georgelichess.com/openings.md) - [Spanish setup in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/spanish-setup.md) - [Pin in chess](https://georgelichess.com/glossary/pin.md) - [Chess lesson prices and packages](https://georgelichess.com/pricing.md) - [Book a chess lesson with George Li](https://georgelichess.com/book.md)