Open Ruy López

Ruy López

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4

An aggressive choice for Black, opening up lines for quick attacks.

Fun fact: Two world championship challengers, Johannes Zukertort in 1887 and Isidor Gunsberg in 1890, fell into Siegbert Tarrasch's trap in the Open Ruy López. Source

Practice this line

The idea

Instead of defending, Black takes the e4 pawn with 5...Nxe4. White gets it back after 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6, and the result is an open position where Black's pieces are active and the knight on e4 is strong.

Plans for White

Put pressure on the knight on e4 and on Black's center with c3, Nbd2 and Re1. The pawn on e5 gives White space, and White can try to exploit Black's loose queenside pawns.

Plans for Black

Use the active pieces: the knight on e4, the bishop on e6 and a quick ...c5 or ...Be7 and castling. Black's game depends on keeping the pieces active, especially the knight on e4.

Watch out for

For Black, the Tarrasch Trap. After 9.c3 Be7 10.Re1 O-O 11.Nd4, the natural 11...Qd7? allows 12.Nxe6, and whichever way Black recaptures, the d5 pawn is pinned. 13.Rxe4 then wins a piece.

For White, letting the knight on e4 stay forever. If White doesn't challenge it, Black's pieces take over the center.

The Tarrasch Trap

6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.dxe5 Be6 9.c3 Be7 10.Re1 O-O 11.Nd4 Qd7 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.Rxe4