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OPENING
Ruy Lopez
The ultimate strategic weapon. Five centuries of chess wisdom in one opening.
“Five centuries of chess wisdom. We do not rush. We build.”
— Boris, your coach
49 lessons~7 hoursPlayed by Bobby Fischer
Progress0 / 49
What you’ll learn
- Bb5 pressures the Nc6 defender of e5 — indirect central control
- Ba4 maintains the pin after a6 — don't trade prematurely
- Castle early and play Re1 to support the e4 pawn
- c3 and d4 build a powerful classical center
- The 'Spanish Torture' — slow, methodical positional pressure
- Trade pieces in the Exchange Variation to exploit pawn structure
Start the course
Why Bb5?
The Spanish Bishop's Purpose
1
Why Bb5?
The Spanish Bishop's Purpose2
The Morphy Dance
Reaching the Closed SpanishThe Closed Spanish Structure
Central Break and Knight ManeuverWhen to Take on c6
The Exchange Variation PhilosophyAttacking f7
Ruy Lopez Tactical PatternsThe Ruy Lopez Setup
The Spanish Bishop[Advanced] Punishing 3...Bb4?!
Carlsen's Blitz Experiment Refuted[Advanced] Bird's Defense: 5...Bc5
The Bishop on b3 Plan[Advanced] Bird's Defense: 5...c6
Cracking the Preparation[Advanced] The Schliemann: 6...Bc5
Grab the Pawn, Keep It[Advanced] The Schliemann: 6...d6
Caruana's Bc4 Plan[Advanced] The Schliemann: Sidelines
Punishing 4...d6 and 4...Nf6?![Advanced] The Cozio Defense
4.Nc3! and d4 Central Assault[Advanced] The Smyslov Defense
c3 and d4 Central Build-Up[Advanced] The Classical Defense
c3 and d4 vs 3...Bc5[Advanced] The Old Steinitz (3...d6)
Immediate d4 + Bxc6+ Plan[Advanced] The Steinitz Deferred
Nbd2-Nf1-Ng3 Classical Squeeze[Advanced] The Norwegian Variation
5...Na5 Refuted with Re1![Advanced] The Averbakh Variation
Bxc6+ and Na3-Nc4-Na5 Outpost[Advanced] Berlin: 4...Bc5 Sideline
Nxe5! Tactical Refutation[Advanced] Berlin: 6.a4 Surprise Weapon
Świercz's Rare Sideline[Advanced] Berlin: 7...Nf5 Nakamura Line
Main Line with 10.c3 and the c4 Break[Advanced] Berlin: 7...Nxe5 Aronian Line
The 9...Ne8 Space Advantage[Advanced] Berlin Endgame: 9...Bf6 Main Line
The Deep Theory with 14.Be3!?N[Advanced] Anti-Berlin: 4...Bd6 Aronian Line
Slow Maneuvering with d4 Break[Advanced] Anti-Berlin: 4...d6 KID Setup
Racing the Queenside Attack[Advanced] Anti-Berlin: 4...Bc5 Main Line
Exchange Variation with 9.d4![Advanced] Anti-Berlin: 4...Bc5 Deep — 7...Bd6
Punishing the Aggressive 8...Qe7[Advanced] Open Ruy: 6...Be7 Sideline
Punishing the Piket-Mamedyarov Line[Advanced] Open Ruy: 8.Nxe5 Surprise
Attacking with f4-f530 of 49 lessons loaded