The Ruy Lopez is a famous chess opening also known as the Spanish Opening or Spanish Game. It became known as the Ruy Lopez after it was used and studied by a 16th century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura although descriptions of the opening can be found in earlier texts. The opening follows the line 1.e4 e5 2.Ng3 Nc6 3.Bb5…… or in ‘old money’ 1.PK4 PK4 2.NKB3 NQB3 3.BN5… Rodrigo López de Segura (c. 1530 – c. 1580) was a Spanish chess player, author, and Roman Catholic priest whose 1561 treatise Libro de la invención liberal y Arte del juego del Axedrez was probably the first truly modern European text. Although there was no official world champion at that time ,his knowledge and strength of the game placed him at the pinnacle of chess during the 16th century. The bone chess set above is known as the ‘Spanish Pulpit’ set dating to around 1800.
