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The theory of the Ruy Lopez is the most extensively developed of all Open Games, with some lines having been analysed well beyond move thirty. In modern practice, however, White does not always exchange bishop for knight on c6, preferring the retreat 4.Ba4 if chased by 3.a6. Traditionally, White's objective in playing the Ruy Lopez is to spoil Black's pawn structure either way Black recaptures following the exchange on c6 will have negative features, though recapturing gains the bishop pair. Since White's third move carries no immediate threat, however, Black can respond in a wide variety of ways. White's 3.Bb5 is still a good move it develops a piece, prepares castling, and sets up a potential pin against Black's king. White's apparent threat to win Black's e-pawn with 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5 is illusory-Black can respond with 5.Qd4, forking the knight and e4-pawn, which will win back the material with a good position. Due to the difficulty for Black in achieving equality, a common nickname for the opening is "The Spanish Torture".Īt the most basic level, White's third move attacks the knight which defends the e5-pawn from the attack by the f3-knight. The opening remains the most commonly used amongst the open games in master play it has been adopted by almost all players during their careers, many of whom have played it with both colours. Popular use of the Ruy Lopez opening did not develop, however, until the mid-19th century, when the Russian theoretician Carl Jaenisch "rediscovered" its potential. Although it bears his name, this particular opening was included in the Göttingen manuscript, which dates from c. The opening is named after the 16th-century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura, who made a systematic study of this and other openings in the 150-page book on chess Libro del Ajedrez, written in 1561. This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves. 3.3.2 Yates Variation and Bogoljubow Variation: 9.d4.3.2.1 Delayed Exchange Variation Deferred: 6.Bxc6.3.2 Closed Defence 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7: alternatives to Main line.3.1.5 Schliemann Defence Deferred: 4.Ba4 f5.3.1.4 Modern Steinitz Defence: 4.Ba4 d6.3.1 Morphy Defence: alternatives to Closed Defence.