Ruy Lopez:
http://en.lichess.org/analysis/r1bqkbnr/pppp1ppp/2n5/1B2p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R_w_KQkq_-I can't grasp how Ruy Lopez is such a great opening that Grandmasters would rather play this than Italian game.
So far I understand that it upsets blacks pawn structure, but it puts the bishop in danger and allows black to perform a series of attacks if he wishes.
Maybe I am not perceiving it at the right angle. Anyone want to put your two cents in?
I've seen some people capture that knight on c6 with the bishop, then winning the e5 pawn if black isn't careful.
Basically at GM levels the opening theory has gotten to the point where black comes out even in all of the variations of the Italian game and various gambits that derive from that opening, so instead GMs go for the Ruy Lopez because it has more complexities.
The ruy lopez is an attacking opening and is just fun to play...Italian game = boring...unless maybe you play the evans gambit ...it can be wild. :]
I think the Lasker defense pretty much stopped the Evans Gambit at GM level
This video attempts to explain it:
youtu.be/2hriSNXPkIAIf I'm going to aim for a long-term advantage, then I would want to play an opening that has lots of variations.
Spanish Opening (Ruy Lupez): 40 Opening variations ECO C60 - C99.
Italian Game Opening (Giuoco Piano): 10 Opening variations ECO C50 - C59
A particular pawn structure can come from many openings.
So, when I play a slow game, I want to slowly transpose the opening to a comfortable middle game pawn structure.
The way I see chess phases: The middle game is basically the last half of the opening and the first half of the endgame plan. If I reached my pawn structure, I am in the middle of my game and it is now time to think of how I will end it.
GMs like more complex situations even if that is not the players style. The Italian game is really old and has very few lines. Nonetheless it is still played even at the top top level but it is not challenging enough for top level play now. The Spanish leads to much more complex play most of the time. It also leads to more double edged play where black can have a messy pawn structure in return he/she gets the two bishops. Such as in the Berlin endgame. The last game I recall being played at the top level with the Italian game was in the womans championship not long ago and white lost.
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1817323#8 It's not that bad, the Italian had been virtually gone from top level chess for some time, but it seems to make a return as a surprise weapon: It was played in four games in the candidates tournament.
In Caruana - Topalov (Rd 4), Anand - Aronian (Rd 9) and Giri - Nakamura (Rd 11) White reached good positions, though only Anand managed to win. In Anand - Giri (Rd 13) his position was dubious at some point, but he managed to hang on and drew in the end.
I have just tried playing Ruy Lopez.
http://en.lichess.org/yhUCnuFBAnd I got to say it's more dynamic than I thought!
I could already see how badly black's pawn structure was at the 8th turn.
I discovered that exchanging in Ruy Lopez is less painful than other openings I've played so far.
