why people love Ruy Lopez?

Now I'm realizing the title of the thread means the guy, not the opening. Never had a chance to meet him, but still I'm sure I'd prefer Sabrina Vega for example.

The Spanish is one of the coolest openings in chess.  Tons of different variations for both sides, lots of different potential pawn structures, almost infinite amounts of novelties that you can spring on an opponent as either color, just simply one of the most strategic openings in chess!  Everyone should play it with both colors, if only temporarily, to improve ones understanding of the game.  

I play the Spanish because I like strategically rich positions. I don't mind the theory or complexity so much because I have a somewhat decent understanding of the ideas in most variations. Once you know the ideas, a lot of the "theory" moves just seem natural. It's also a great learning tool. Many strategic and tactical themes can be learned in this opening. Another plus is most positions are closed so if and when you make an inaccuracy here and there, you probably won't get punished as bad as some other openings. I would recommend the op give it another chance and really work hard to understand the main variations. It will make you a better player. If you do, I also recommend you play the black side every chance you get. I got noticeably better with white after spending several months playing with, and improving my understanding of blacks ideas.

Ruy Lopez is my favourite opening after 1. e4, and maybe even my favourite at all. As black I'm happy when my opponent plays 3.Bb5, and I didn't lost a single game in it for three years (around 20 games in Ruy, only counting tournament games). It's also a perfect opening if you have to win or draw. As white, things are more difficult for me - hard to achieve a familiar position since Black has so many options. 

Why I love it? I think: Understanding > learning variations by heart. Ruy gives me comfortable positions, I can outplay a higher rated opponents by understanding only one variation. If I could know e. g. Sicilian/King's Indian/Nimzo etc. like Ruy Lopez then I would probably be at least a master...

is this guy a known troll who keeps making new accounts? he just joined today and the first thing he talks about...

just type in, Apertura Española - PREVIA GRATUITA - Ruy Lopez - Introducción, you may notice the shooting I was talking about

Pulpo, I wanna get quoted by pfren, too!

Don't have to thank me, it was gugl, not me, or was it utube, anyhow, it's gratis, apparently.

The reason why a lot of people play the Ruy Lopez is because the other responses to 2...Nc6 aren't that great. Have a look for yourself.

3.d4 is the Scotch game. Probably the best alternative if you want to avoid Ruy Lopez and other options. Problem with Scotch game is black can equalize in the center fairly easily where white kind of looses his edge.

3.Bc4 is the Italian Game. This has been long abandoned by GM's. The Scotch and Ruy are far more dynamic. It also leads to 3...Bc5 which is the Guicco Piano. These openings are very old and natural ideas.

3.Nc3 is the three knights game and also long abandoned by GM's. The problem is that blacks response to 3.Nc3 leaves him with a cramped position unless he plays 3...Nf6 which is extremely drawish.

3.d3 is cramping and just too slow

any other response to 3.Nc6 is isn't that great. You can try to fianchetto a bishop but it's really not that great.

So, that's why so many people play Ruy Lopez. After Nc6, the optioins arent great

Not really. He is making all too many assumptions but what do I know. We are a free country and we tolerate free speach after all. Don't we?

And Kramnik beat Anand like yesterday with it lol

So you were saying they switched to the Italian game for some incomprehensible reason and got some neat winning chances. I see. It's not all about statistics apparently.

Hm, I found only one game between Anand and Aronian, played in August this year and it ended with a draw. The other five ended with Black winning the game. The drawn game was played on 12.08.2016.

In my opinion, 3: d3 is a very good move. It is the move I am most afraid to see. It leads to a solid game for white where black has no plan and white just slowly wins.

Okay, so it's not that simple, but it's a matter of playstyle. After 3: Bc4 or 3: Bb5, black can say things like "I will try to fight for the center and make an interesting game." But after 3: d3, all black can say is "I will prove that you're being too passive and this position is a draw." That is a much harder statement to prove. In fact, in my opinion that's the whole problem with 1: ..e5 among GMs and why it's not that popular compared to the sicillian, French, pirc etc.) The point is that black has a disadvantage in the starting position, and in the ruy lopez black makes a very drawish position where he is just worse. It's not fun to play or easy to draw, and black definitely won't win unless white makes some very bad mistakes. That's why GMs like to create imbalances with the aforementioned defenses. They want to create position's where white's tempo advantage isn't as obvious. In the sicillian, rather than just "I am a tempo down but this position looks drawish" black has imbalances that he can look forward to that he can fight with white over.

So in that sense, I think 3: d3 is the most thematic move in the ruy lopez because it goes along with the idea that black has chosen to create no imbalances in the position and therefore is simply asking white whether he has the technique to convert a tempo into a win. In that sense, it makes sense for white to play extremely slowly and give no room for counterplay to black, rather than try for lots of activity and possibly allow black to do something.