Play the Ruy Lopez by IM Andrew Greet is the book I read when studying the Ruy Lopez. However, it may be a little daunting if you are a begginer due to its massive amount of theory.
Perhaps, something better if you are just starting out on the Ruy Lopez, is Starting out - the Ruy Lopez.
I heartily recommend Mastering the Spanish by Danny King & Pietro Ponzetto -- it turned the Ruy Lopez for me from a puzzle to my favorite opening. The material may be somewhat advanced if you're really a novice, but it may be worth a look anyway. I would go so far as to compare it to Reuben Fine's classic Ideas Behind the Chess Openings, in that it teaches you more about how to think about specific strategic situations, rather than just barfing up a bunch of rote lines. Best opening book I own.
Andrew Greet's "play the Ruy Lopez" is definitely worth the money. His writing style is engaging and clear and the coverage on the variations he explores is thorough. The one drawback to his book is that he favors the closed Ruy Worral Attack, which on the plus side it cuts down your need to know a lot of other variations, but on the minus side, a closed Ruy may not be a preferred style for white.
John Emm's "easy guide to the Ruy Lopez" is also good if you're just looking for broad, light coverage of the many variations.
To my knowledge, there's no single book out there that thoroughly covers all the Ruy variations. The opening is too titanic without making it a multiple volume series of books. I suggest figuring out which variations you like best, and then focus on finding books that cover your preferred variations.
Again though, Greet's book is wonderful, as it does cover many of the main variations.
I learned from Shaun Talbot's "How To Play The Ruy Lopez". It's part of a series of books from MacMillan Chess Library on chess openings. My opinion is that it's an ok book. It gives a fair amount of theory balanced with entire games as examples. It explains objectives from both white and black points of view. It's drawback is that it's probably very dated. I bought mine in the 1980s. I'm sure there has been a lot of theory added since then.
All in all, a good book if you can get it cheap. I just looked and Amazon has used ones starting from $2.50 to $12.00 US.
I have read that in Russia they say it is impossible to understand chess fully without studying and playing the Ruy Lopez.
These opening books are very useful but I would say the best way is to look at games by the great Lopez players - say Lasker, Fischer, Kasparov, and study the opening notes. I really think that whatever I learned about this opening, such as it is, is from looking at the master games rather than lines from opening books. E.g. look at Fischer-Spassky from the 1972 match, or some of the Kasparov Karpov games.
It's hard to find stuff on how to play from Black's point of view. But try Play 1...e5! by Nigel Davies. He also wrote Gambiteer II which covers the Schliemann, which is hair raising but fun.
As an intermediate level chess player I could suggest the Andrew Greet's «Play the Ruy López» This is the best book.
Just to remind Ruy López de Segura was a Spanish priest and Phillip II favourite (circa 1560).
I have to modify my review of Talbot's "How To Play The Ruy Lopez". I just got home and looked at the book and realized it's in an odd notation. In my book the opening begins:
1. e4 e5
2. ♘f3 ♘c6
3.♗b5
If you can deal with that then the book is alright. Personally, I don't like that notation.
I've a good one here beginner-imtermediate level "The Ruy Lopez for the Tournament Player" Gary Lane. Batsford.
You know, I don't even play the Ruy lopez and STILL I believe a Spanish book is worth reading simply because the depth of theory teaches one much about what a midgame is supposed to involve.
Might pick up a more in depth Ruy Lopez book...
Thank you all for your suggestions. I have decided to buy Andrew Greet's book due to your suggestions and i will go and look at some of the master games involving the Ruy as an opening.
Is that really how it looks? Little squares?
No, sorry, we must have some kind of font/image mismatch. The little squares you say you're seeing are supposed to be little images of knights and bishops. All the major and minor pieces are denoted by images instead of letters.
I like the figurine algebraic too,and is easy and is good for the children too.
Razorblade, I just looked up your rating. I would suggest NOT bo buy any opening book. I don't think they will be useful to you. You can get along fine with opening explorer and what you can find freely on the internet (just google). For instance, if you play White, I would recommend to play the exchange variation (4.Bxc6) or the safe 5. d3 (which stops any gambit ideas Black might have and which would require some theory). Both lines are not only for begginers, they are encountered at the highest level.
Here is a trap you should look out for.
my trainer says that ruy lopez is a very good opening for learning chess. you learn to take space in center, focusing on f7 and alot of other good stuff. dont listen to the people recommending the echangevariation. most good players say that ordinary lopez is the best opening possible for learning chess. people say lopez is theoriheavy but its because its so effective. in other e4openings you get equal position if you know all theori. in lopez you often get equal even if you dont rember it by playing logical moves you find by understanding the ideas of the opening
I am a beginner when it comes to openings. I have trialled the Ruy Lopez for a couple of weeks and I have decided that I like it as an opening. I am just wondering what books there are out there that I could buy to improve my knowledge of this opening.
EDIT: I would like a book which covers the main lines and variations for both white and black if it exists