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Ruy Lopez (C70)
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4

Number of games in database: 2895
Years covered: 1845 to 2025
Overall record:
   White wins 41.1%
   Black wins 31.5%
   Draws 27.3%

Popularity graph, by decade

Explore this opening  |  Search for sacrifices in this opening.
PRACTITIONERS
With the White Pieces With the Black Pieces
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave  11 games
Georg Marco  10 games
Alireza Firouzja  9 games
Arne Zwaig  29 games
Svein Johannessen  27 games
Wilhelm Steinitz  24 games
NOTABLE GAMES [what is this?]
White Wins Black Wins
Spassky vs Taimanov, 1955
Einstein vs Oppenheimer, 1933
B Wall vs J Chance, 1969
W Addison vs Fischer, 1963
A Matanovic vs J H Donner, 1965
Tal vs J G van Eybergen, 1959
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 page 1 of 116; games 1-25 of 2,895  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. E Rousseau vs C Stanley 1-0401845Rousseau - StanleyC70 Ruy Lopez
2. E Rousseau vs C Stanley 1-0691845Rousseau - StanleyC70 Ruy Lopez
3. H Kennedy vs E Lowe  1-0281847Casual gameC70 Ruy Lopez
4. G Medley vs A Mongredien 1-0441850Medley - MongredienC70 Ruy Lopez
5. C Jaenisch vs D Urusov 1-0341854Casual gameC70 Ruy Lopez
6. Morphy vs Allies 1-0221859Consultation gameC70 Ruy Lopez
7. The Turk vs S Heilbuth  1-0361859Turk ExhibitionC70 Ruy Lopez
8. J F Bateman vs Zytogorski  0-13718603rd BCA Tournament, CambridgeC70 Ruy Lopez
9. Anderssen vs C Messemaker 1-0371861RotterdamC70 Ruy Lopez
10. J Leonard vs C Gilberg 1-0251862Blindfold simul, 8bC70 Ruy Lopez
11. O Wuelfing vs J Kohtz 1-01718622nd West German CongressC70 Ruy Lopez
12. G Neumann vs Anderssen 0-1251864BreslauC70 Ruy Lopez
13. O Cordel vs B Suhle  1-0451864Cafe de BelvedereC70 Ruy Lopez
14. Zukertort vs C Mayet 1-0321867BerlinC70 Ruy Lopez
15. Mackenzie vs G Reichhelm  ½-½341867Mackenzie - Reichhelm 2nd US Championship MatchC70 Ruy Lopez
16. J Lord vs J Hampton 0-1331868BCA-02.Challenge CupC70 Ruy Lopez
17. F Lewis vs NN 1-0231868Casual gameC70 Ruy Lopez
18. Zukertort vs H Munk  1-0341871BerlinC70 Ruy Lopez
19. F Elder vs H Harding 1-02118712nd American Chess Congress, ClevelandC70 Ruy Lopez
20. F Elder vs W Haughton  1-03618712nd American Chess Congress, ClevelandC70 Ruy Lopez
21. M Judd vs H Harding 1-02818712nd American Chess Congress, ClevelandC70 Ruy Lopez
22. H Smith vs H Harding  1-05518712nd American Chess Congress, ClevelandC70 Ruy Lopez
23. M Judd vs H Harding  ½-½3918712nd American Chess Congress, ClevelandC70 Ruy Lopez
24. de Vere vs NN  1-0271872Casual gameC70 Ruy Lopez
25. F Lewis vs S Franklin  1-0271872Casual gameC70 Ruy Lopez
 page 1 of 116; games 1-25 of 2,895  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Apr-16-04  PaulKeres: I'm a little surprised, prehaps someone out there can help? Why does the <4...b5> Ruy Lopez Caro variation (C70) do so badly for Black. And even more so the continuation <5. Bb3 Na5> so bad as well? OK, White has a good lead in development, but doesn't have the Bishop pair anymore.
Apr-16-04  ruylopez900: PaulKeres -- After Na5 Black's e5 pawn is hanging, thus White gets the upper hand developing to attack the poor pawn while Black's p[ieces are more passive.
Aug-24-04  Hanzo Steel: Could someone give me an opinion on how to confront 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6 4 Ba4 b5 5 Bb3 Bd6 as White? Bd6 seems inferior to me, but I can't really figure out how to exploit it best.
Aug-24-04  clocked: The simple answer is to play 0-0 and d3. Black will play some combination of Nf6 and Bb7 and you will reach a common position.
Aug-24-04  rover: My preference would be to play the normal main line setup with c3 and d4. Black can either exchange on d4 which is advantageous for white, go into an akward development scheme with Qe7 or Qf6, or is left with a completely passive position with Nc6 and Bd6 both defending the weak pawn on e5. Any of these 3 options should give white an advantage.
Aug-24-04  OneArmedScissor: I absolutely love the Ruy Lopez now.
I use to be confused so much by it, but I read a few things about it and I've grown to love it. It just suits my style of play quite well. It's the only opening I'll play with 1. e4 e5

I also must note that the only opening I play against 1. e4 is the Sicilian Defense.

Anyways... I think the reason why playing 4. ...b5 is bad, is because black neglects development and tries to claim the Lopez bishop. And the best way to stop an attack on the flanks is to attack/counter-attack in the center. Black tries to push through on the queenside, while white will try to steam roll through in the center.

Aug-26-04  ruylopez900: <One Armed> Yes, but if they wait, play ...Nf6 then ...b5 then you have the dangerous and dynamic Archangel defence!
Sep-17-04  Knight13: I play this Opening very often. Good opening thoe.
Dec-06-04  drukenknight: Spanish/Lucena variation, I guess. White forgets to advance the d pawn and black gets a pretty good game:

1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Bc5
5. c3 Nf6
6. O-O Nxe4 (H. Steiner played this at least two times in the other database losing to Alkehine and Horowitz)

7. Qe2 (7 d5 is universally played)

7... b5
8. Bb3 Nxf2
9. Rxf2 Bxf2+
10. Kxf2

Sep-06-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Joshka: Anyone have any experience with the Gambit line 4...b5 5.Bb3...Na5 6. Bf7+!?
Dec-05-07  jamesmaskell: A game from last night against a far stronger player. I was White.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 Bc5 6. O-O Nf6 7. Re1 d6 8. c3 Bg4 9. h3 Bh5 10. d4 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 exd4 12. e5 Nxe5 (I thought I was being really smart but forgot about the knight...) 13. Bg5 O-O 14. Qg3 Re8 15. Nd2 dxc3 16. Qxc3 h6 17. Be3 Ned7 18. Re2 Bxe3 19. Rxe3 c5 20. Bc2 d5 21. Nf3 Qc7 22. Rae1 Rxe3 23 Rxe3 Qf4 24. g3 Qd6 25. Bf5 d4 26. Qd3 Qd5 27. Bxd7 dxe3 28. Qxd5 Nxd5 29. Bc6 Rd8 30. Bxd5 exf2+ 31. Kxf2 Rxd5 32. Ke3 f5 White resigns 0-1

Not too disappointed. We used about the same amount of time and the game looked fairly balanced for most of it. My weakness in strategy shows though my defensive skills are definitely improving. As Ive said, he was much stronger than me so little was expected other than holding him for as long as possible and using it as a learning experience.

May-17-18  Amarande: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 Nf6 6. Ng5 d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Nxf7 Kxf7 9. Qf3+ Ke6 10. Nc3 Ne7 11. d4 c6 12. Bg5 Bb7 13. O-O-O b4 14. Ne4 Qc8 15. Nc5+ Kd6 16. dxe5+ Kc7 17. Bxe7 Bxe7 18. Bxd5 cxd5 19. Nxb7 Qxb7 20. Rxd5 Rab8 21. Rhd1 Rhd8 22. Qf7 Kc8 23. Qe6+ Rd7 24. Rc5+ Bxc5 25. Qe8+ Kc7 26. Rxd7+ Kc6 27. Rxb7+ Kxb7 28. Qf7+ Kb6 29. Qxg7 h5 30. e6 1-0

Where did Black go wrong here? Is 7 ... Nxd5 in fact losing or is it later on?

Aug-10-22  VerySeriousExpert: Mr. Joshka, I recommend you the recent analytical article with new theoretical inventions by Yury V. Bukayev: 'The Nightingale Gambit etc. (C70, C20, C60): Bombs' ( https://jeromegambit.blogspot.com/2... )! Thus, Bxf7+!? isn't bad, in fact!

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