The Ruy Lopez reaches a named position after 3 moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
In practical games, this line matters because the early pawn and piece choices decide which middlegame plans are natural. Use the board above to learn the move order, then complete Practice without hints before adding the opening to your regular queue.
If this exact branch does not appear in your games, study the related lines below. Openings often transpose, and recognizing the family pattern is more useful than memorizing one narrow sequence.
The idea behind this line
White pressures the e5 pawn indirectly while building a durable central advantage.
What to look for
- Support e4 with Re1.
- Prepare c3 and d4.
- Reroute the b1 knight through d2 to f1 and g3 when the center stays closed.
Position details
The defining move is Bb5.
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