The Ruy Lopez is a waste of time

I learned the Ruy Lopez, and now I never get to play it. Everyone who's good enough to play the sicilian plays it, and everyone who isn't plays some throwaway off the tracks 4th move that jolts me into a midgame. Comparing the time it took to learn the Ruy and the amount of play I got, it really would have been more worthwhile to just study the generic sicilian white responces.

Ruy Lopez sucks

if u play e4 then yes....u'll have to learn how to play against Sicillian...otherwise abandon it altogether and play d4

your opening repetoire needs to have a few different openings. I only have 4 openings that i play consistently.

Since you are 1500 in live chess you should have enough experience to know there are many many lines. When i get out of book i just play the same principles and ideas that i like and try to guide the game in the direction that i like.

Is this a legitimate question? When I play 1.e4, I frequently encounter the Ruy Lopez. It's true that I see the Sicilian more often, but I've learned a lot from the Spanish priest. You need to be prepared to face a number of responses to any opening you choose to play.

Then he will end up running into the benoni and have to abandon d4 for e4 again ;)

I play the Italian Game against 1...e5 because I'm too lazy to study the Ruy Lopez.

Against the Sicillian I just play common sense moves.

I'm not sure about your skill level or experience, but the Ruy is a great opening! It does lead to complicated middlegames and you can avoid a lot of main lines by simply play d3 and playing "chess". Of course, the sicilian theory should comprimise a good portion of your white repertoire, but I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the ruy. It is rich in many positions and the concepts your learn can be applied to many openings. Don't give up just yet :P.

You are not a true e4 player if you haven't been properly schooled in the way of the Spanish.

At the moment, the Ruy and the Scotch are the best ways to meet 1...e5, at least on the GM level. At an amateur level, anything is playable, so you might as well pick something offbeat like the Vienna or the KG.

I agree that studying the Ruy Lopez at beginner level is a waste of time. Factly, studying ANY opening at that level is a waste of time.

i don't think thAT THE RUY LOPEZ IS A WASTE OF TIME

I AGREE WITH U SIR

The Ruy is one of the most complex and strateically deep openings around, and any ADVANCED player should study it, regardless if he plays it with any color or not. But for a beginner... ummm, better learn elementary tactics and combinational motifs, basic endgames which are met frequently, and leave the openings well alone. All that a beginner should know about the opening is: 1.Fast piece development to active and safe squares 2.Occupation of the center with an absolute minimal of pawn moves 3.Castling fast 4.After doing the above, form a plan.

That's ALL a beginner should knw about the opening.

The exchange ruy lopez should be easy for beginners to study. 

Absolutely.  Beginners should only study Black openings, if any.

How long until you understand the color weakness strategy embedded in the Ruy?  Probably not until you're around USCF 1900 strength, if then.

<3 Ruy 

But also, that's unimportant until you reach a good level.

You mean - you are not intelligent?

Oh snap!