Ruy Lopez

proper noun

A common chess opening, an Open Game characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5, in which White moves king's bishop to the fifth rank.

Meanings

proper noun
  1. board gamesA common chess opening, an Open Game characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5, in which White moves king's bishop to the fifth rank.

    Synonyms: Spanish Game, Spanish Opening, Spanish Torture

Synonyms & antonyms

proper nounA common chess opening, an Open Game characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5, in which White moves king's bishop to the fifth rank.

Origin

Named for Ruy López de Segura, a Spanish priest who wrote a book about chess openings in 1561.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Dutch Spaans, Spaanse opening
  • Spaansa common chess opening
  • Spaanse openinga common chess opening
French partie espagnole
  • partie espagnolea common chess opening
German Spanische Partie, Spanische Eröffnung
  • Spanische Partiea common chess opening
  • Spanische Eröffnunga common chess opening
  • Spanischa common chess opening
Norwegian spansk åpning
  • spansk åpninga common chess opening
Polish partia hiszpańska
  • partia hiszpańskaa common chess opening
Russian испа́нская па́ртия
  • испа́нская па́ртия (ispánskaja pártija)a common chess opening
Spanish apertura española
  • apertura españolaa common chess opening
Cite this entry
APA

Ruy Lopez. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ruy%20Lopez

MLA

“Ruy Lopez.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ruy%20Lopez. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Ruy Lopez,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Ruy%20Lopez.

Source: Ruy Lopez on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.