Starting Out: the Ruy Lopez (Starting Out - Everyman Chess) Paperback – August 1, 2003

I absolutely love the “Starting Out” series. I really don’t think it is worth the time for players under 2000 to look at openings much, but some superficial knowledge, mostly in the form of ideas for strategic purposes, can go a long way. In preparing for a particular Expert level player (I was only 1477), I needed some ideas for the white side of the Lopez, and this book gave me everything I needed to get a draw (USCF rated G/120) –a fine result, given the rating disparity. This book has the mainline theory at the start of each chapter, a breakdown of ideas and possibilities, and then it gives practical applications of those ideas in the form of practical games. This is the layout for most all of the “Starting Out” books, and I think it is a recipe for success.This book should be for any player USCF rated under 2000, but I know all too many booked-up A-class players, so I will simply say that this book geared toward those who have no grounding or formal familiarity with the Ruy Lopez (aka the Spanish Game). I played the first 3 Lopez moves for quite some time before formally learning the theory of the opening, learning some of the ideas on my own, but this book kicked me into a state of solid, basic theoretical understanding of the opening. This series’ recipe certainly works for me, and I expect it will work for players who aren’t booked-up class players, but are similar players who have focused on tactics, positional play, strategy, endings, and so forth.

I consider this book an excellent introduction to the Ruy Lopez. Many plans for black and white are explained well. Obviously a professional player with a 2100+ ELO would need other books on specific variations, but since this book is a "Starting Out", it seems a perfect book.I think that people under 2000 does not need other books, a opening database or a playing software with a complete "book tree" can fill the gap.

The book was simple and straight to the point. Pretty good book to help a beginner understand the ruy lopez. If you already use it as part of your repertoire then you might want a more advance book. On the downside I will say that it could use more detail explanations on some of the lines covered - then again Im no beginner. However, its my belief that we should not rely on books to do all the work for us - memorizing countless variations and openings from books is never a good idea unless you are well above class A level. The book is exactly what it says on the cover.

Good book for beginning to play Ray Lopez.

A good book to begin your exporation toward Master play in the Ruy Lopez. This book should be supported by another book on the Ruy Lopez that covers your favorite Ruy Lopez Varation in greater detail once you begin playing it.

Haven’t gone through the actual material, but the cover is creased and flares out like it’s been heavily used

Awesome book for anyone learning the RL... highly, highly recommended.

This is an excellent book about the Ruy Lopez (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5).It is for a range of players, but it is primarily for those who want to learn something about one of the most important openings in chess. And that includes near-beginners. It teaches the reader some of the characteristics of the opening, so that one can get a feel for how one would like to play it for White or Black. And it has plenty of recent games as examples. Shaw starts by telling us that if Black doesn't do something to stop it, White will simply play 0-0, Re1, c3, and d4 to dominate the center and bring her Queen Knight to the Kingside (from b1 to d2, f1, and g3).In the chapter on third-move alternatives for Black, the book concentrates on the Berlin Defence (3...Nf6) and the Schliemann defence (3...f5). The Berlin Defence is popular these days (World Champion Kramnik has played it frequently) and it often gives Black a good endgame, so it merits plenty of space. The Schliemann is not a very sound line. However, the problem is that Black may play it anyway. Tame White responses generally give Black a chance to castle, play d6, and then launch a dangerous kingside attack. Aggressive play by White leads to complicated lines. So this is where Shaw quite properly spends some valuable pages.Then there is a section on the Exchange Variation with 3...a6 4 Bxc6 dxc6 5 0-0. That's a good idea because White may very well want to play it, if only to avoid all the later defences. In addition, White generally gets an easy endgame out of it. This is a valuable line to learn for both sides!Yes, Shaw barely mentions 3...a6 4 Ba4 d6 5 c3 f5 (the wild "Siesta Variation"). That's fair. He recommends 5 0-0 here, and it is unlikely that you'll get into it from either side.Next comes the Open defence with 3...a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Nxe4 6 d4. This is a popular and very instructive line for Black, so it gets a few games. Right now, White has been doing well against it, but that could change as defenders do a little more studying. Here, Shaw mentions that Black can almost get away with 6...exd4 (the "Riga Variation"). This is an unsound but wild line that might even deserve an illustrative game.There are seven games covering two very interesting sixth-move sidelines after 3...a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 b5 6 Bb3, the Archangel defence (6...Bb7) and the Moller defence (6...Bc5 or 5...Bc5). These are very active defences, so White will be in trouble if she faces one of them unprepared. And, of course, since they are active defences, plenty of club players will be playing them.Now we come to the Marshall attack (3...a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 0-0 8 c3 d5 9 exd5 Nxd5 10 Nxe5 Nxe5 11 Rxe5). This is a very dangerous countergambit for Black, and it used to be very popular among club players and grandmasters. It is still popular, but less so, given that most folks with White (including Kasparov) now opt for the anti-Marshall with 8 a4. The Marshall is given four illustrative games. In all of them, Black plays 11...c6. Maybe 11...Nf6 (a weaker move) deserved at least a mention, since it is dangerous too, but it did not get one. I was glad to see the line with 11...c6 12 d4 Bd6 13 Re1 Qh4 14 g3 Qh3 15 Re4 included, along with the claim that Black can force a draw with 15...g5! 16 Qe2 f5 17 Bxd5+! cxd5 18 Re6 f4! The Anti-Marshalls also get four illustrative games.That leaves only 19 games (out of 80 in the book) for the main line closed Ruy (3...a6 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 c3 0-0 9 h3). And I think that is the proper balance. Main lines are worthless if one does not understand what to do if they are avoided. We see the four most popular versions: the Zaitsev (9...Bb7), the Smyslov (9...h6), the Breyer (9...Nb8), and the Chigorin (9...Na5). All are roughly equally instructive at the club level. I was glad to see four games with the Breyer, given that it gives Black very little active play but makes a White breakthrough difficult.This is a wonderful introduction to the Ruy, and I recommend it.

A comprehensive guide to the Ruy Lopez opening.

Very good on the open vacation