Ruy Lopez

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Conquistador

I have begun to play 1...e5 as black and I have been having problems with the Ruy Lopez.  I have had very poor results when trying to play the open Ruy. 

I am looking for a defense as black to play the Ruy Lopez.  Any recommendations by the community?

razorblade12

err... dont play 1..e5 :P

seriously, when i played 1..e5 i played the Classical Variation of the Ruy Lopez which is 3...Bc5

it gives you a decent pawn structure and allows you to get your pieces out and castle. my other recommendation would be, the so called, Berlin defence (named after the Berlin Wall) because it was so hard to break down ;)

Spiffe

Didn't you ask this same question a month ago? http://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-openings/scandinavian-player-wishing-to-change-to-1e5

If you're not interested in the mainlines, and you want something solid-but-offbeat, you might try the Deferred Steinitz variation.

rollingpawns

Why open, why don't you play closed, the mainline variations, 3. ... a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 etc. ? Offbeats, like Bird, Deferred Steinitz, etc. will not give you the understanding of the modern Ruy Lopez. Play a few blitz games,  it will give you a feeling of the arising positions. Also look at few GM games.

Conquistador

Actually I did ask that question again, thanks for reminding me.

I was looking for lines in particular, at least seven moves in so I would not be walking so blindly.