Forever Chess GamesForever Chess Games Logo
CreateGiftsProductsGamesPlayersOpeningsTop 100FAQ

Explore

  • Players
  • Openings
  • Famous Games
  • Top 100 Games
  • World Championships

Create

  • Create Visualisation
  • How It Works
  • Gift Ideas

Eras

  • 1880s – Classical
  • 1960s – Fischer Era
  • 1990s – Kasparov Era
  • 2020s – Modern

Info

  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use

© 2026 Forever Chess Games. All Rights Reserved

  1. Home
  2. /Openings
  3. /Ruy Lopez: Closed, Breyer Defense (C94)
C94

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Breyer Defense

Key moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest and most classic chess openings. White develops the bishop to b5, putting indirect pressure on the e5 pawn through the knight on c6. It leads to rich strategic positions with deep plans for both sides.

History & Notable Players

Named after the 16th-century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura. It has been a cornerstone of chess opening theory for over 500 years and remains one of the most popular openings at all levels.

Top Players in this Opening

Tal, Mihail8 gamesPortisch, Lajos7 gamesSpassky, Boris V7 gamesShort,N5 gamesKarpov, Anatoly4 gamesGeller, Efim P3 gamesReshevsky, Samuel Herman3 gamesPetrosian, Tigran V3 gamesKeres, Paul2 gamesMamedyarov,S2 games

Related Openings

C90 - Ruy Lopez: Closed318C91 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation363C92 - Ruy Lopez: Closed840C93 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Smyslov Defense182C95 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Breyer650C96 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Keres Defense276C97 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense170C98 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense90C99 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense, Panov System236

Best Games

Ivanchuk, Vassily vs Southam, Todd1-0
Wch U20 1988Notable
Geller, Efim P vs Reshevsky, Samuel Herman1/2-1/2
Petropolis Interzonal 1973Notable
Vachier Lagrave,M vs Solomon,K1-0
40th Olympiad Open 2012
Short,N vs Mamedyarov,S1-0
Gibraltar Open 2012
Tal, Mihail vs Timman, Jan H1/2-1/2
Niksic 1983
Tal, Mihail vs Petrosian, Tigran V1/2-1/2
Moscow 1975
Karpov, Anatoly vs Spassky, Boris V1-0
Moscow-3teams 1973
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Portisch, Lajos1/2-1/2
EU-chT 1965
Tal, Mihail vs Spassky, Boris V0-1
Candidats final 1965
Medina Garcia, Antonio Angel vs Spassky, Boris V0-1
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955
Short,N vs Santos Latasa,J1-0
TCh-AUT Blitz 2025 2025
Dominguez Perez,L vs Aliyev,Ravan1-0
Titled Tue 14th May Early 2024
Naroditsky,D vs Kamsky,G1-0
Titled Tue 14th Mar Late 2023
Anton Guijarro,D vs Mamedyarov,S1-0
21st European Teams 2017
Short,N vs Amin,B1/2-1/2
24th Abu Dhabi Masters 2017
Ivanchuk,V vs Tomashevsky,E1/2-1/2
IMSA Blitz 2016 2016
Vachier Lagrave,M vs Tarjan,J1-0
PokerStars IoM Masters 2014 2014
Berg,E vs Svidler,P1/2-1/2
Gibraltar Open 2012
Berg,E vs Adams,Mi0-1
Gibraltar Open 2012
Vachier Lagrave,M vs Caruana,F1-0
VI World Blitz 2010

Explore More

All OpeningsAll Players