Closed Ruy López
Ruy López
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6
A variation focusing on a solid pawn structure and gradual piece maneuvering.
Fun fact: In the Closed Ruy López, Black genuinely threatens to win a pawn with ...b5 and ...Nxe4 after 5...Be7, which is why White plays 6.Re1. Source
Practice this lineThe idea
This is the classical main line: 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6. Both sides have developed, Black has gained queenside space, and the center is still closed. The main line continues 8.c3 O-O 9.h3, with a long maneuvering game ahead.
Plans for White
Play c3 and h3 to prepare d4 without allowing ...Bg4, then bring the queen's knight round with Nbd2-f1-g3. White aims to keep the center strong and eventually attack on the kingside.
Plans for Black
Castle, then choose a plan at move 9: the Chigorin (9...Na5, freeing the c-pawn for ...c5), the Breyer (9...Nb8, rerouting the knight to d7 to support e5), or the Zaitsev (9...Bb7 and ...Re8).
Black can also castle earlier and answer 8.c3 with 8...d5, the Marshall Attack, giving up a pawn for an attack on White's king.
Watch out for
For Black, giving up the center. If Black exchanges on d4 at the wrong time, White gets a free center and an easy game.
For White, being too slow with h3. Without it, ...Bg4 pins the knight on f3 and makes d4 much harder to play.