Ruy Lopez:Closed

The main road of the Ruy Lopez: Black develops the king’s bishop to e7, White castles and plays Re1, and both sides prepare long manoeuvres.

It is reached after 10 moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7. It is a line of the Ruy Lopez.

White is to move and has 25 legal moves. Over the next four moves — two for each side — the game can branch into 612,979 different games. Those games reach 211,649 different positions: most positions can be reached in more than one way, 2.9 on average.

The Lichess opening list names 61 further lines after this position, such as Worrall Attack (6. Qe2) and Center Attack (6. d4).

The same moves can be played in 420 different legal orders that all reach this position. For example 1. Nf3 e5 2. e4 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7, which starts as the Zukertort Opening.