Ruy Lopez Books

Ruy Lopez is one of the most popular chess openings. It is known also under the name of Spanish opening. Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura was a 16th century priest who lived in Spain. He was the first scholar and chess enthusiast who systematically studied this and other openings in his 150-page booklet Libro del Ajedrez (in 1561).

Ruy Lopez was not the first to open his game with the characteristic sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5. It took three more centuries before the opening really became popular. In the mid-1800s Carl Jaenisch, a Finnish-Russian theoretician really discovered the potential of the opening. The Spanish opening is still in active use as the most common opening played by the masters after 1. e4 e5.

According to common wisdom, every chess player who wants to develop into a master should play Ruy Lopez at least for some time. Only by studying this classic opening, it becomes possible to understand some of the fine strategic nuances of the royal game.