C82 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Open, St. Petersburg Variation

19/19
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.O-ONxe46.d4b57.Bb3d58.dxe5Be69.c3Bc510.Nbd2
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Open, St. Petersburg Variation17k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
75%13k57%
11%2.0k39%
7.3%1.3k43%
2%35051%
1.3%22439%
1.1%18428%
0.8%13124%
0.3%6147%
0.2%4245%
0.2%3932%
Famous games in this line752 master games
Carlsen, M. (2855) – Mamedyarov, S. (2762)20211–0Vachier Lagrave, M. (2779) – Mamedyarov, S. (2801)2018½–½Dominguez Perez, L. (2760) – Caruana, F. (2800)2021½–½Nakamura, Hi (2760) – Caruana, F. (2783)20221–0Vachier Lagrave, M. (2750) – Caruana, F. (2786)20221–0Carlsen, M. (2864) – Niemann, Hans Moke (2642)20221–0Caruana, F. (2792) – Van Foreest, Jorden (2702)2022½–½Firouzja, Alireza (2766) – Duda, J. (2725)20251–0
Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M. · Nakamura, Hi · Vachier Lagrave, M. · Firouzja, Alireza
Family
Ruy Lopez
Category
Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C82
Line
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Bc5 10. Nbd2
Classical
★ Read the guide: Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)Explore all 234 Ruy Lopez lines →
Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Ruy Lopez: Open, Dilworth VariationC82 10…O-O 11.Bc2 Nxf2
Nearby lines in the family
Ruy Lopez: Closed, BreyerC95 5…Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 …Ruy Lopez: Open, Motzko AttackC82 10.Qd3Ruy Lopez: Open, Berger VariationC80 8.a4 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.Nc3
From the archives

Ruy López de Segura was a 16th-century Spanish priest whose 1561 book systematized 3.Bb5 — alongside advice like seating your opponent facing the sun. The 'Spanish torture' has been a world-championship battleground from Steinitz to Carlsen: slow pressure, forever.

Study this opening
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