The Ruy Lopez is best for learning

I have heard multiple times( on this site included ) that playing the ruz lopez will help you play better chess and learn more about the game. What is the reasoning, if any, behind saying that the ruy lopez will help you learn chess? Is it because it is an open game? This statement intrigued me and if it is true I will start playing the ruy lopez rather than the scotch to learn more

I don't know about it being the best, but I do know the Ruy Lopez is rich in strategic and tactical content, at least, many variations of it are rich in both.  

Of course, you can only play it if Black let's you or allows it.

I can't remember any game that I played the ruy lopez. That may be why I'm not improving much atm .

i wanted to try the ruy lopez but when i looked up with the computer why its bad for black to waste tempi for taking the bishop, the answer was a  tad too complicated. The book i have didnt even bother telling why, just said its bad.

 i think the ruy lopez is great because its highly strategical and you learn to attack a position that doesnt have the obvious weaknessess you can easy attack. you learn to use nuances and subtleties. you learn positional play i would thinl.

At least that is my first impresion on top of my head, obviously i dont really have a clue

but i think you dont get the ruy very often, you much more likely to get the sicilian in my opinion.

yeah i think Ruy lopez is good opening to be learned especially if you are beginner (we're all beginner anyway), but don't wonder your position will be passive when you play black, that's why you should learn about developing your own initiative when it comes to middle game... 

Well there's plenty of reasons.

Its a very old opening for one, it has ben played by pretty much very world champion so it has a rich history and has been analyzed a lot.

It teaches many very important and complex strategic principles.

It is very diverse in the positions it can give out, and it is good for players to be exposed to a large number of types of positions.

These positions cna range from closed and manuvering to open and very tactical, so you really get everything.

That's just some basic observations, I only play it as black but someone who plays as white can probably expand on that significantly.

I think its because the nature of the position. In some openeings weaker lines are not very apparent. And Ruy lopez, many bad lines are exploitable  much more quickly.

In other words it doesn't take a lot of effort for amateurs to see why bad moves are bad and good moves are good.

It transposes into all different kinds of middlegame structures (like the Benoni for example).  It can be open and tactical or closed and positional.  It is a staple of GM play.  It has a lot of logic to the theory and tactics are always close beneath the surface of the position.  Great for teaching opening principles. 

Thanks you all for the nice input on the Ruy Lopez