The Short Answer
Quick answer: Below about 1600, play the Italian Game. It's easier to learn, the plans are clearer and the tactics come early. Above that, the Ruy Lopez rewards patience and deeper study with longer lasting pressure. Both start 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6. The Italian plays 3.Bc4, aiming at f7. The Ruy Lopez plays 3.Bb5, aiming at the knight that defends e5.
That's the decision in one paragraph. The rest of this post explains why the split falls there, and when it doesn't.
I read the Wikipedia entries for both openings before writing this, because the history explains a lot about how each one is played today.
One Move Apart, Two Different Games
Both openings share the first two moves for each side. The whole difference is where White's light squared bishop goes on move three.
In the Italian, 3.Bc4 points the bishop at f7. That square is only defended by Black's king early on, so the Italian is about direct pressure on the kingside.
In the Ruy Lopez, 3.Bb5 pins nothing at first. It pressures the knight on c6, which is the piece defending the pawn on e5. The threat is slow and indirect.
That single choice sets the tone. The Italian tends to open lines quickly. The Ruy Lopez tends to build tension and hold it for a long time.
Neither is better in the abstract. They suit different players.
Where Each Opening Came From
Both are among the oldest openings in chess.
According to Wikipedia's Italian Game entry, the opening appears in the Göttingen manuscript, the earliest known work on modern chess. Sixteenth century players Pedro Damiano and Giulio Polerio developed it, and Gioachino Greco analyzed it in his 1620 collection of games.
The Ruy Lopez is named after Ruy López de Segura, a Spanish priest who systematized it in his 1561 book, Libro del Axedrez. The opening itself also appears in the Göttingen manuscript from around 1490.
So neither is a modern invention. What changed is how strong players use them. That history matters, because the Ruy Lopez has had centuries of deep analysis poured into it.
Why the Italian Suits Beginners
The Italian gives newer players three things they need.
First, clear targets. The bishop on c4 and a knight heading for g5 make f7 an obvious focus. You don't need to understand subtle plans to see what you're aiming at.
Second, fast development. Knights and bishops come out quickly, and castling follows in a few moves.
Third, early tactics. Lines like the Two Knights Defense after 3...Nf6 and 4.Ng5 create sharp positions where both sides must calculate.
That's where most games under 1600 are decided anyway. Learning an opening that produces tactics trains the skill that wins those games.
Our Italian Game guide for beginners walks through the first ten moves.
Why the Ruy Lopez Suits Patient Players
The Ruy Lopez asks for something different: patience.
White's pressure on e5 doesn't win material quickly. Instead, it gives White a small, lasting edge in space and piece activity. Converting that edge takes long middlegame plans.
Wikipedia describes its theory as the most extensively developed of all open games, with some lines analyzed well beyond move thirty. That's a lot to learn.
The reward is positions that stay rich for a long time. Players who enjoy maneuvering, slowly improving pieces and squeezing small advantages tend to love it.
If you'd rather attack on move ten than plan on move thirty, the Ruy Lopez will probably frustrate you for a while.
The Morphy Defence Is What You'll Face Most
Choose the Ruy Lopez, and one reply will dominate your games.
That's 3...a6, the Morphy Defence. Wikipedia says it appears in about two thirds of all games that begin with the Ruy Lopez.
Black immediately asks the bishop a question. White usually retreats with 4.Ba4, keeping the pressure, and the game heads toward the main lines.
After 4...Nf6 5.O-O, the Closed Defence with 5...Be7 is the most frequently played system. The Open Defence, 5...Nxe4, is the sharper alternative.
So learning the Ruy Lopez really means learning the Morphy Defence well. Everything else is a side road you'll meet less often.
The Berlin Problem
The Berlin Defence, 3...Nf6, changed top level chess.
Wikipedia records that Vladimir Kramnik used it at the 2000 Classical World Championship to draw four of Garry Kasparov's eight games with White. After that, the Berlin became famous as a solid drawing weapon.
That created a problem for White players at the top. The Ruy Lopez's main line could lead into a quiet endgame where Black was very hard to beat.
At club level, the Berlin is far less common. Most opponents under 2000 won't steer you into it.
But it explains a lot about why strong players began looking elsewhere, and where they looked.
The Italian's Quiet Comeback
Here's where the two stories meet.
According to Wikipedia, the Italian Game saw renewed popularity in the 21st century, as players looked for alternatives to the Ruy Lopez after Kramnik's Berlin success. The slow Giuoco Pianissimo, with an early d3, became a regular top level choice.
That's a different Italian from the one beginners learn. Instead of rushing at f7, White builds slowly, keeps the center closed and maneuvers much like in a Ruy Lopez.
So the Italian isn't only a beginner's opening. It grows with you. You can start with sharp lines and move to the slow system as your understanding improves.
That flexibility is a big part of the case for it.
Main Lines Side by Side
Here's how the two openings branch, in the lines you'll meet most:
Italian Game, 3.Bc4
- Giuoco Piano, 3...Bc5. Quiet development, with 4.c3 preparing d4.
- Giuoco Pianissimo, 4.d3. Slow and positional, the modern top level choice.
- Two Knights Defense, 3...Nf6. Sharp, especially after 4.Ng5.
- Evans Gambit, 4.b4. A pawn sacrifice for fast development.
Ruy Lopez, 3.Bb5
- Morphy Defence, 3...a6. The main road, in about two thirds of games.
- Closed Defence, 5...Be7. The most common main line.
- Open Defence, 5...Nxe4. Sharper and more concrete.
- Berlin Defence, 3...Nf6. Solid, often leading to an early endgame.
Notice the pattern. The Italian's list has more sharp options near the top.
How Much Theory Does Each Need?
This is the practical question for most club players.
The Italian can be played with modest preparation. Learn the Giuoco Piano, a response to the Two Knights, and what to do against a few offbeat replies, and you're ready for most games below 1800.
The Ruy Lopez needs more. You'll want the main Closed lines, an answer to the Open Defence, a plan against the Berlin, and ideas against early deviations like the Schliemann.
That difference isn't a reason to avoid the Ruy Lopez. It's a reason to pick it when you have time to study.
If you train in short sessions, the Italian gives more return for each hour you put in.
What Your Opponents Will Do
At club level, the choice also depends on what you'll face across the board.
Many players under 1500 don't know much Ruy Lopez theory. They often answer 3.Bb5 with natural moves that give White an easy edge. That can make the Ruy Lopez surprisingly effective at low ratings too.
In the Italian, lower rated opponents often walk into early tactics around f7. The Fried Liver Attack is a classic example of that trap.
So both openings punish unprepared opponents, just in different ways. The Italian punishes them quickly. The Ruy Lopez punishes them slowly.
Pick the kind of win you enjoy. You'll study the opening you like more.
A Simple Way to Decide
If you're still unsure, answer three questions.
- Do you prefer tactics or plans? Tactics point to the Italian. Plans point to the Ruy Lopez.
- How much time do you have to study? Less time favors the Italian.
- What's your rating? Under 1600, the Italian is usually the better fit.
Two or more answers pointing the same way settle it.
If they split, start with the Italian. It's easier to add the Ruy Lopez later than to recover from a year of confusing positions you didn't understand.
Our opening repertoire for 1200 to 1500 players shows how either one fits into a full set of openings.
Practice Before You Commit
Reading about openings only goes so far. You learn them by playing them.
Start by drilling the first moves until they're automatic. Our opening pages for the Italian Game and the Ruy Lopez give you free interactive training on the main lines.
Then play ten games with each in quick time controls. Pay attention to which positions feel natural and which ones leave you guessing.
I checked both pages before linking them here. The gap in complexity between the two shows up within a few moves.
After twenty games, you'll usually know which opening you want to keep. Trust that feeling. Enjoyment keeps you studying.
What to Do This Week
Here's a one week plan.
Days one and two. Learn the first six moves of the Giuoco Piano and the Two Knights.
Days three and four. Learn the Morphy Defence up to 5.O-O and the Closed Defence setup.
Days five and six. Play five quick games with each opening. Review every loss.
Day seven. Pick one and commit to it for the next three months.
Switching openings every week is the most common way club players stall. Pick one, stay with it, and let your results tell you when you're ready to add the other.