Chessy
How to Play the Ruy Lopez
The Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5) is the oldest and most deeply studied 1.e4 opening — White pressures the e5 pawn indirectly, fights for long-term structural advantage, and can choose between razor-sharp and slow-squeeze setups. Try it against the engine below, then see what 74.5 million games reveal.
Play the Ruy Lopez against the engine
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Create a free account →Why 3.Bb5 instead of 3.Bc4
Rather than aiming at f7 immediately, White pins the knight that defends e5. The idea isn't to win the pawn at once — it's to create a nagging tension: if Black doesn't resolve it, White will eventually exchange on c6, double the pawns, and grind. Stockfish evaluates the resulting position at +0.37 — a meaningful but modest edge, meaning the opening is sound for both sides and well worth learning as White.
Black's most common defences
- 3...d6 (Steinitz) — most popular (18.4M games), solid and a touch passive; White scores 51.2%.
- 3...a6 (Morphy Defence) — nearly as popular (16.2M games), asks White to commit the bishop; White scores 51.2%.
- 3...Nf6 (Berlin) — the theoretical main line today (14.0M games); sharpest in theory, White scores 52.4%.
- 3...Bc5 — Black's best-scoring try (White only 49.7% across 8.5M games) — the Cordel/Classical, often aiming for counterplay.
The Morphy and Steinitz are what you'll see most in online play; the Berlin is the professional duelling ground.
Plans for White
Against the Morphy (3...a6), the standard reply is 4.Ba4 — maintain the pin and retreat only when forced. After castling, plant the rook on e1, play c3 and d4, and build the Ruy Lopez bind: central pawns on e4/d4 vs. Black's e5. Against the Berlin (3...Nf6), the endgame after 4.O-O Nxe4 5.Re1 is dry but permanently better for White. In all lines: castle early, activate the rook on e1, and keep the a4-bishop pointing at the knight until the bind is established.
What 74.5 million games show
White scores 51.4% across 74,500,454 Lichess games — the second-best result of any classical 1.e4 e5 opening. The interesting split: Black's most popular moves (a6, d6) yield 51.2% for White, while the theoretically critical Berlin yields 52.4%. The one line where Black genuinely equalises in practice is 3...Bc5 (White 49.7%) — expect that when facing well-prepared opponents.
Results across 74,500,454 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d6 | 18,439,298 | 51.2% |
| a6 | 16,238,354 | 51.2% |
| Nf6 | 13,986,265 | 52.4% |
| Bc5 | 8,485,225 | 49.7% |
| Nge7 | 4,693,422 | 51.0% |
| Nd4 | 4,662,074 | 50.5% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ruy Lopez good for beginners?
It's sound and instructive, but the theory is deep. Beginners can play 4.Ba4, castle, and build with c3/d4 without memorising much. The +0.37 eval means it rewards good plans, not tricks.
What is Black's best response to the Ruy Lopez?
By win-rate, 3...Bc5 is Black's equaliser — White scores only 49.7% across 8.5M games. The Morphy (3...a6) and Steinitz (3...d6) are the most popular and slightly easier to play.
What is the Berlin Defence?
After 3...Nf6, Black heads for a simplified endgame via 4.O-O Nxe4. It's considered Black's toughest theoretical test at elite level, but White still scores 52.4% across 14M Lichess games.
Ruy Lopez vs. Italian Game — which should I learn first?
The Italian is easier to understand on first principles; the Ruy Lopez carries more theory but slightly more enduring pressure (+0.37 vs +0.14). Learn the Italian first, then add the Ruy Lopez once you're comfortable with e4-e5 pawn structures.
How many games feature the Ruy Lopez?
Over 75 million Lichess games have reached the Ruy Lopez position. White wins 51.4%, Black wins 44.4%, with 4.3% draws — based on real rated games.