2026-08-01 · 7 min read
Ruy Lopez Opening Guide: Main Ideas After 3.Bb5
Ruy Lopez (Spanish) plans for White and Black — Morphy, Berlin, and Exchange — plus a live explorer.
Why masters love the Spanish
3.Bb5 pressures e5 and prepares a long squeeze. You can play for a kingside attack **or** a better endgame.
Black’s big choices
White’s plan in a sentence
Castle, play c3 and d4, park a knight on f5 or a rook on e1, and don’t rush the bishop trade on c6 unless the structure favors you.
Use the explorer to see how often 3…a6 scores vs 3…Nf6 at your rating.
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Ruy Lopez
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