Why do white Ruy Lopez players not automatically play black Ruy Lopez?
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Yup, that's the big question. I'd think that it would cut down your study time quite a bit....and increase your understanding of the middle positions. So, why not? Why do so many White Ruy Lopez plalyers not chose the Ruy as a defense? May be a noob question, but here we go. Thank you for your contributions
Mar 27, 2017
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#2
2.Nf3 and 3.Bb5 aren't forced. Other than the Ruy, you need to know a dozen other openings to play 1.e4 e5 
And even if you enter it, it doesn't really cut down study, because white isn't obligated to play the same way you do. Whether or not they play the exchange variation is probably the first major difference, for example.
Mar 27, 2017
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#3
They think it's cooler to play the Sicilian and have more winning chances.
But you're absolutely right that it makes a lot of sense for a Ruy Lopez player to take both sides, very efficient.
But you're absolutely right that it makes a lot of sense for a Ruy Lopez player to take both sides, very efficient.
Mar 27, 2017
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#4
Alright, Chin of Quinn's answer is more accurate than mine, I concede.
But the black side of 1. e4 e5
really should be a major option for a Ruy Lopez player.
The other king pawn openings are just not as testing. You should be happy to play the black side of the Kings Gambit, for instance.
But the black side of 1. e4 e5
really should be a major option for a Ruy Lopez player.
The other king pawn openings are just not as testing. You should be happy to play the black side of the Kings Gambit, for instance.
Mar 27, 2017
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#6
They might be afraid to play against their own stuff although that's not really likely anyway.
Mar 27, 2017
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#7
Karpov mostly relied on the Zaitsev system of the Ruy Lopez. Also the Caro-Kann.
Whatever opening repertoire you chose, there are quite a lot variations you need to consider. So why not go with the statisticly most prominent? I have never played the Ruy as defense. But I'm going to try it out and see if I gain an advantage by playing it with both colours. Any comments by "dual" players very welcome.
Mar 27, 2017
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#9
When I was 1700-2100 I loved my black openings and knew them well. I had nothing much for white.
I opened with 1. a3 so I could try to be black every game.
H
Mar 27, 2017
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#11
eugeniusjr wrote:
When I was 1700-2100 I loved my black openings and knew them well. I had nothing much for white.
I opened with 1. a3 so I could try to be black every game.
What did you do after 1.a3 a6? lol
I play both sides of ruy lopez. Berlin defence rules!
Mar 27, 2017
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#13
penandpaper0089 wrote:
eugeniusjr wrote:
When I was 1700-2100 I loved my black openings and knew them well. I had nothing much for white.
I opened with 1. a3 so I could try to be black every game.
What did you do after 1.a3 a6? lol
No one ever did that. Nice try but you missed the point.
Mar 27, 2017
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#14
2Q1C wrote:
How does opening 1. a3 mean you get to be black?
Black gets to choose the course of the opening. He gets to choose how to occupy the center, with a c, d, e pawn. This is usually the main advantage of playing white.
Mar 27, 2017
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#15
2Q1C wrote:
How does opening 1. a3 mean you get to be black?
There's an exploit. When programming chess, the way they have it process the color and file of the destination square means if your first move is to a dark square on the a file, it actually swaps the colors of the pieces. It doesn't work when playing Na3 because piece moves are handled differently. This only works on the first move, because the program treats that as move zero.
This was a common way to get to move twice back when you could request a takeback. What you'd do is ask for a takeback then immediately play 1.a3. You become black and accept the takeback. The program then resets the position back to the start, and thinks you get two moves. One because of the takeback (even though you're black now) and 1 because it thinks it's black's move.
That's why you see some old games beginning with 1... e5 and 2...d5 and white gets his first move on move 3.
sparxs wrote:
... Why do so many White Ruy Lopez plalyers not chose the Ruy as a defense? ...
What does it mean to choose "the Ruy as a defense"? After 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 Nf6, White does not usually play 5 Nc3. As it happens, after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bb5, a standard reply is 4...Bb4.
Mar 27, 2017
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#17
The_Chin_Of_Quinn wrote:
2Q1C wrote:
How does opening 1. a3 mean you get to be black?
There's an exploit. When programming chess, the way they have it process the color and file of the destination square means if your first move is to a dark square on the a file, it actually swaps the colors of the pieces. It doesn't work when playing Na3 because piece moves are handled differently. This only works on the first move, because the program treats that as move zero.
This was a common way to get to move twice back when you could request a takeback. What you'd do is ask for a takeback then immediately play 1.a3. You become black and accept the takeback. The program then resets the position back to the start, and thinks you get two moves. One because of the takeback (even though you're black now) and 1 because it thinks it's black's move.
That's why you see some old games beginning with 1... e5 and 2...d5 and white gets his first move on move 3.
This is also why the 1984 Karpov - Kasparov match was halted. Kasparov started winning because he was getting two first moves.
