Is the Ruy Lopez opening actually good?

I think that 3.Bb5 is a too aggressive move because it puts the bishop in a place where it can be easily attacked. However, black may be more keen on developing his pieces than attacking the bishop.

The ruy is all about the build up of a positional advantage, the fact that the bishop is moved three times isn’t that big a deal. Black does get an initiative for a little bit but 20 moves in white should have already built a better position. Basically black can’t stop white from gaining a spacial advantage, obviously not enough for it to be a forced win that we know of but white should be pressing in all lines

The initiative is important, though.

@Jonathanmaxwell,

I don't think white gets a fully superior positional advantage just on the build up and base position by itself, it is known that white is slighlty better(perhaps +0.25-0.75 at times), but the thing about the opening is that it is not that hard for black to gain equality. Some examples of the opening lines that give black nice games is Morphy's defense, Berlin Defense, Berline Wall, Marshall Attack and more. All of these lines make it so that black has a nice game, and unless black makes a mistake the chances for a draw is much increased, even with some positional imbalances within the different theory and various positions the game shouldn't be too difficult.

I think against being against the average player(and average player not based on Elo, but based on their playstyle, reason being is because people that are not purley positionally great and do the Ruy Lopez don't get the advantages they need/want with that specific opening, because it is not an openign that fits their style.) with the Ruy Lopez it is definitley drawable for most players with the black pieces. What is concerning about the opening is the player's who played it such as Bobby Fischer in his earlier years(before he was known as the best with the Ruy Lopez and people started to play the Sicilian Defense against him), Karpov and pretty much all of the Super GM's in today's game and the days of the 1950-present. The reason people have harder times on those levels is because they know the theory but also among this they are either positional masterminds(or just better than most in positional play) or they are grinders and can grind people out of a position piece by piece without you knowing of fully understanding what is happening on the board until after the fact like Magnus Carlsen, Karpov, or Capablanca.

That is why the Ruy Lopez was made because it is theoretically and positionally dominant opening for those who are just superior in positional play and are very grindy. Very rarely would someone that is an attacker for white would convert the Ruy Lopez would convert a position to an attack from its base position. Usually things have to happen in such an opening to have attacking chances... Regardless this is why I think the Ruy Lopez is effective and what it's main objective as an opening was called to be. 

Hopefully you see my point of view, I do respect yours, and wasn't saying it wasn't correct but just seemed incomplete and needed more support.

I agree.

Well, I'm a rubbish 800 so it's likely that I am worse than you.

@teacherofpain

I get what you’re saying but the example of morphy’s defense, its a very broad term for many in depth defences. I would agree that there are many lines there that are just fine for black in that complex. If someone plays critical lines as white tho its a whole different story. I play e5 myself and I know some lines in depth and still have trouble myself against ruy lopez players, not usually in the opening but in the middle game generally. Practically its tough to defend against, I used to thrash and get thrashed with the ruy lopez otb. The computer doesn’t really tell the whole story. I don’t know anyone that has an easy time drawing against it. I can’t speak much for the berlin defense cause its hardly played at my level but MVL regularly tries to crack it and almost always keeps the pressure up. Theres a reason its called spanish torture. I would agree tho it doesn’t take much to lose the positional edge.

Yeah, the Ruy Lopez is a very complicated opening with lots of lines.

Yeah, I believe the Ruy Lopez doesn't give any player a huge advantage.

It's the choice of top grandmasters as it's very solid, doesn't walk into loads of gambits (like the italian) and white should maintain the advantage with perfect play. 

At your level, blunders bby your opponent are common so it might be a bit too solid, maybe the Italian or Scotch would be slightly better for quick wins if you know your tactics? But I'm no expert

The reason GM's enjoy this opening is due to the fact they can grind it out and just play out the competition and do  this in a way that is beneficial for them with their slighlty better or vastly better positional play with the opening, depending on their opponent and their strengths weaknesses and whether they need a win, or draw.

Some GM's have a natural feel with the opening and combined with good preperation can make a deadly opponent, even if the other Grandmaster is prepared. Among this it is very important to know why these GM's play the opening, as though it is highly drawish, that doesn't mean every game will be a draw. The Ruy Lopez is such a creative and theoretically strong opening, so legitamatley when people get out of the book lines, anything can happen...

So this is why GM's play the opening still to this day.