Megatheory 6: Closed Ruy Lopez

when I was learning the game, a Closed Ruy Lopez was considered the ultimate chess opening and even my classmates knew the first dozen movesor so.  Every move is logical, and there areno particularly tricky tactics to stumble on.

The opening has been studied for centuries, and so it is hardly surprising that it has as much theory as any chess opening.  I have about 20,000 examples in my database. The main lines are still considered about equal, although some would and it still holds a persistent edge, leading to the opening being referred to as the Spanish Inquisition.  

In practical play a draw  is the most likely result, but new ideas are still being explored and the opening trends in and out of popularity.  Anyone who claims to  be a chess player must be familiar with this opening.