The Ruy Lopez is a pretty sophisticated opening. The pressure that White gets doesn't lead to the quick, easy win of a pawn, but that pressure lasts well into the middle game. The Ruy is a pretty sophisticated opening, so it's not that easy for a less experienced player to understand what's going on. But the fact that it has been one of the favorite weapons for almost every great player should convince you that there may be more to it that meets your eye.
opening principles are principles, not laws so you shouldn't care about moving your pieces too many times in the Ruy as the position is usually closed
I'm in the beginners section for a reason...
The Ruy Lopez seems very popular, it's in all the videos I've watched, and after e4, e5, f3, c6 "standard" opening, is the most popular move, and the Engine puts it as the best move.
But why?
Intro to book openings video 1 says it attacks blacks pawn by putting pressure on its defender.
It then goes on to state however that if in fact white takes, white will end up down material.
You also have to spend another move coming back, and often yet another one, to move one piece 3 times (which seems to be against opening best practice), for an attack that if implemented doesn't work.
So, there has to be a reason, but I can't see it... yet!
White develops a piece, is ready to castle, and loosens black's grip on the center all in one move. White isn't planning on winning a pawn yet, but that can easily become a real threat. For example:
As for white's bishop getting chased off with a6 and b5, black gains a lot of space on the queen side and opens up the b7 square for their bishop. In exchange, the b5 pawn can get picked at when white attacks it with a quick a4. White moved their bishop several times, but black made several pawn moves that might turn out to be a bit weakening.
White develops a piece, is ready to castle, and loosens black's grip on the center all in one move. White isn't planning on winning a pawn yet, but that can easily become a real threat. For example:
As for white's bishop getting chased off with a6 and b5, black gains a lot of space on the queen side and opens up the b7 square for their bishop. In exchange, the b5 pawn can get picked at when white attacks it with a quick a4. White moved their bishop several times, but black made several pawn moves that might turn out to be a bit weakening.
So I guess the difference in your example is that d3 has prevented the Qd4 re-capture. But black waited an extra move to chase, which allowed that to happen.
It just seems like I get chased every single time, so I think "why not just stick to the Italian?"
I was thinking that the true magic must lie in how one has disrupted the a/b file - which doesn't come in to play until much later, and therefore I don't know how to take advantage. I guess I asked the question because this opening comes up in almost every beginner guide, and yet seems to be an exercise in running in and away again. Perhaps it shouldn't be in beginner level guides...
Thanks so much for the responses, and I seem to have some PMs on this too, so thanks again!
The ruy is fine
That is, until 3… Nf6
The Berlin is solid, though it looks to me like white could win material in some lines, and black in others, but no one takes those chances. It's also considered boring by some
The Jobava is fine That is, untll 3..c5
#6
"It just seems like I get chased every single time"
++ Steinitz and Lasker warned not to chase 3 Bb5 with 3...a6. Steinitz said 3...a6 and later ...b5 chase Bb5 to a better square b3 and he preferred the developing move 3...d6. Lasker said 3...a6 is not a developing move and loses a tempo in case of 4 Bxc6 and he preferred the developing move 3...Nf6 and was later vindicated by Kramnik and AlphaZero.
"why not just stick to the Italian?"
++ Many top grandmasters like Caruana, Kramnik, Carlsen prefer the Italian over the Ruy Lopez. Nobody knows for sure.
"I was thinking that the true magic must lie in how one has disrupted the a/b file"
++ Yes pawns a6 and b5 can be undermined with a4.
"this opening comes up in almost every beginner guide"
++ rightly so, it is a top opening and it is often played on all levels
"seems to be an exercise in running in and away again."
++ No, black chases the bishop to a better square and weakens his queen's side
"it shouldn't be in beginner level guides"
++ It should, it is a top opening and it is often played on all levels
The ruy is fine
That is, until 3… Nf6
The Berlin is solid, though it looks to me like white could win material in some lines, and black in others, but no one takes those chances. It's also considered boring by some
Extremely
The Jobava is fine That is, untll 3..c5
-_______-
The Ruy is NOT a beginners opening. It has a lot of deep strategical ideas and is similar to the Sicilian in the sense that no beginner should play them. Stick to something easier such as the London as it’s ideas are pretty simple for any beginner to grasp.
in novice's perspective, white attempts to win a pawn. however the essence of the opening itself is not that simple which i don't really care. since its a legit opening for both sides i don't mind playing it alot.. i only need to memorize many lines
if you don't feel like playing the Ruy then that's fine, it's very complex and not for everyone but the London is even worse if you are serious about improving
if you don't feel like playing the Ruy then that's fine, it's very complex and not for everyone but the London is even worse if you are serious about improving
Its not complex.
A beginner guide should be playing both white and black. And you build the opening up with building blocks. Like every subject known to man. A proper book would have hardly any moves per se. For nf6, white plays nc3. All it is to play into a middle game....so as to why nc3 is not best all the time being the next lesson.
Get back to me once I cant win with queens odds.
The ruy is fine
That is, until 3… Nf6
you hate berlin lol
The Jobava is fine That is, untll 3..c5
a6 lines are comfortable.
I'm in the beginners section for a reason...
The Ruy Lopez seems very popular, it's in all the videos I've watched, and after e4, e5, f3, c6 "standard" opening, is the most popular move, and the Engine puts it as the best move.
But why?
Intro to book openings video 1 says it attacks blacks pawn by putting pressure on its defender.
It then goes on to state however that if in fact white takes, white will end up down material.
You also have to spend another move coming back, and often yet another one, to move one piece 3 times (which seems to be against opening best practice), for an attack that if implemented doesn't work.
So, there has to be a reason, but I can't see it... yet!
In the starting position both sides are uncoordinated and largely immobile... so thinking in terms of attacking a pawn is incorrect. In fact in many openings there are chances to win a pawn here or there and many times a major option is to not "win" the pawn. This is because the main focus of the opening is to mobilize your pieces and make your king safe. If you spend time winning pawns then your opponent's superior activated forces and your unsafe king can give your opponent more than full compensation.
After you meet the needs of the opening (activity and king safety) you can think about winning something.
So you might ask why mention attacking a pawn at all? Well sure, if your opponent completely ignores your moves, or falls far behind in development, then it's perfectly fine to win material. So even though white is not "really" threatening black's pawn, the reality is it's more like "not threatening it yet." In other words black's choices are constrained. Whenever you can constrain your opponent's options while simultaneously improving your position that's good.
I'm in the beginners section for a reason...
The Ruy Lopez seems very popular, it's in all the videos I've watched, and after e4, e5, f3, c6 "standard" opening, is the most popular move, and the Engine puts it as the best move.
But why?
Intro to book openings video 1 says it attacks blacks pawn by putting pressure on its defender.
It then goes on to state however that if in fact white takes, white will end up down material.
You also have to spend another move coming back, and often yet another one, to move one piece 3 times (which seems to be against opening best practice), for an attack that if implemented doesn't work.
So, there has to be a reason, but I can't see it... yet!