Ruy Lopez · As White · updated October 2026
Play the Ruy Lopez like Salem AR Saleh
A repertoire in the Ruy Lopez built from 53 of Salem AR Saleh's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Salem AR Saleh chose most often. Where Salem AR Saleh has fewer than 3 games, the course takes the other top-50 players' most played move, then Stockfish's. Learn a line on the board, then each position comes back in a short daily review until it sticks.
Not affiliated with or endorsed by Salem AR Saleh or Chess.com.
- Salem AR Saleh was #41 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,206) and scored 42% against opponents averaging 3,124 in these games.
- You play Salem AR Saleh's own move in 17 of 40 positions.
- The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.
Train lines
Learn a new line move by move. Lines due for review go to your daily review first.
Free · first 5 lines need no account
Blitz rank
#41
Chess.com
Rating
3,206
Games
53
in this opening
Score
42%
in these games
Opponents
3,124
average rating
Lines to learn
- Next
Line 1 · 18% at top level
3…a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.O-O Nge7 7.d4 Ng6 8.d5 Nb8 9.c4 Be7 10.Nc3 O-O 11.Bc2
- New
Line 2 · 10% at top level
3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 d6 7.c3 O-O 8.Re1 b5 9.Bc2 Bb7 10.a4
- New
Line 3 · 8% at top level
3…Nf6 4.d3 Ne7 5.O-O Ng6 6.Ba4
- New
Line 4 · 8% at top level
3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.a3 O-O 9.Nc3
- New
Line 5 · 6% at top level
3…Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d6 6.O-O O-O 7.h3
- New
Line 6 · 5% at top level
3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.Nc3 d6 9.a3
- New
Line 7 · 4% at top level
3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 8.c3 d6 9.d4 Bb6 10.a5 Ba7 11.h3
- New
Line 8 · 4% at top level
3…Bc5 4.c3
- New
Line 9 · 4% at top level
3…Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.O-O g6 7.Re1 Bg7 8.a4
- New
Line 10 · 4% at top level
3…a6 4.Ba4 f5 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 b5 7.Bb3
- New
Line 11 · 3% at top level
3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5 6.c3
Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.
Salem AR Saleh's main line in the Ruy Lopez, move by move
The most common line at top level: 3…a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.O-O Nge7 7.d4 Ng6 8.d5 Nb8 9.c4 Be7 10.Nc3 O-O 11.Bc2.
- 3…a6 Reply · Salem AR Saleh's games A common reply here is 3…a6. At top level, this comes up about 64% of the time.
- 4.Ba4 Your move · Salem AR Saleh's games Salem AR Saleh played 4.Ba4 in 34 games, scoring 41%.
- 4…d6 Reply · Salem AR Saleh's games A common reply here is 4…d6. At top level, this comes up about 21% of the time.
- 5.c3 Your move · Salem AR Saleh's games Salem AR Saleh played 5.c3 in 7 games, scoring 50%.
- 5…Bd7 Reply · Salem AR Saleh's games A common reply here is 5…Bd7. At top level, this comes up about 18% of the time.
- 6.O-O Your move · Salem AR Saleh's games Salem AR Saleh played 6.O-O in 5 games, scoring 30%.
- 6…Nge7 Reply · Salem AR Saleh's games A common reply here is 6…Nge7.
- 7.d4 Your move · Salem AR Saleh's games Salem AR Saleh played 7.d4 in 5 games, scoring 30%.
- 7…Ng6 Reply · Salem AR Saleh's games A common reply here is 7…Ng6.
- 8.d5 Your move · Salem AR Saleh's games Salem AR Saleh played 8.d5 in 5 games, scoring 30%.
- 8…Nb8 Reply · Salem AR Saleh's games A common reply here is 8…Nb8.
- 9.c4 Your move · Salem AR Saleh's games Salem AR Saleh played 9.c4 in 5 games, scoring 30%.
- 9…Be7 Reply · Salem AR Saleh's games A common reply here is 9…Be7.
- 10.Nc3 Your move · Salem AR Saleh's games Salem AR Saleh played 10.Nc3 in 4 games, scoring 25%.
- 10…O-O Reply · Salem AR Saleh's games A common reply here is 10…O-O.
- 11.Bc2 Your move · Salem AR Saleh's games Salem AR Saleh played 11.Bc2 in 2 games, scoring 50%.
Questions about this course
- How does Salem AR Saleh play the Ruy Lopez?
- After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5, Salem AR Saleh's most common line is 3…a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Bd7 6.O-O Nge7 7.d4 Ng6 8.d5 Nb8 9.c4 Be7 10.Nc3 O-O 11.Bc2. At top level it comes up about 18% of the time.
- Is this Salem AR Saleh's course?
- No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Salem AR Saleh's public Chess.com blitz games.
- What is this Ruy Lopez course based on?
- 53 of Salem AR Saleh's Chess.com blitz games in the Ruy Lopez as White, against opponents with an average rating of 3,124. Salem AR Saleh scored 42% in them.
- How many lines does the course have?
- 11 lines covering 40 positions, ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. The first 5 lines need no account; saving your progress with an email unlocks the rest, free.
- Who is Salem AR Saleh?
- GM Salem AR Saleh was ranked number 41 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,206 when this course was built.