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Ruy Lopez · As White · updated October 2026

Play the Ruy Lopez like Sergei Zhigalko

A repertoire in the Ruy Lopez built from 39 of Sergei Zhigalko's public Chess.com blitz games. At every position you play the move Sergei Zhigalko chose most often. Where Sergei Zhigalko 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 Sergei Zhigalko or Chess.com.

  • Sergei Zhigalko was #44 in Chess.com blitz in October 2026 (3,204) and scored 62% against opponents averaging 2,996 in these games.
  • You play Sergei Zhigalko's own move in 14 of 40 positions.
  • The whole course is free, and it is updated monthly.

Free · first 5 lines need no account

Blitz rank

#44

Chess.com

Rating

3,204

Games

39

in this opening

Score

62%

in these games

Opponents

2,996

average rating

More about Sergei Zhigalko

Use arrow keys to navigate the board. Press Enter to select a piece, then use arrow keys and Enter to move. Press Escape to cancel a move.
Line 1 after 6 moves

Lines to learn

  1. Line 1 · 13% at top level

    3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O d6 6.d4

  2. Line 2 · 10% at top level

    3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5 7.a4 Rb8 8.Nc3

  3. Line 3 · 10% at top level

    3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.a4 Rb8 9.axb5 axb5 10.d3 d6 11.Nc3 h6 12.Nd5

  4. Line 4 · 7% at top level

    3…a6 4.Ba4 Bc5 5.O-O Nge7 6.c3 Ba7 7.d4 Ng6 8.Bg5 f6 9.Be3 O-O 10.Re1 Kh8 11.Nbd2

  5. Line 5 · 6% at top level

    3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3

  6. Line 6 · 5% at top level

    3…Nge7 4.O-O a6 5.Ba4

  7. Line 7 · 5% at top level

    3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.d4

  8. Line 8 · 5% at top level

    3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Be7 7.Re1

  9. Line 9 · 5% at top level

    3…f5 4.d3 fxe4 5.dxe4 Nf6 6.O-O

  10. Line 10 · 4% at top level

    3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.a4 b4 9.a5 d6 10.h3 Be6 11.Ba4

  11. Line 11 · 4% at top level

    3…Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.h3 Be7 10.Nc3 Nh4 11.Nxh4

Ordered by how often they come up in top-level games. Learned lines join your daily review.

Sergei Zhigalko's main line in the Ruy Lopez, move by move

The most common line at top level: 3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O d6 6.d4.

  1. 3…a6 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 3…a6. At top level, this comes up about 74% of the time.
  2. 4.Ba4 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 4.Ba4 in 29 games, scoring 66%.
  3. 4…Nf6 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 4…Nf6. At top level, this comes up about 62% of the time.
  4. 5.O-O Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 5.O-O in 24 games, scoring 65%.
  5. 5…d6 Reply · Sergei Zhigalko's games A common reply here is 5…d6. At top level, this comes up about 13% of the time.
  6. 6.d4 Your move · Sergei Zhigalko's games Sergei Zhigalko played 6.d4 in 2 games, scoring 100%.

Questions about this course

How does Sergei Zhigalko play the Ruy Lopez?
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5, Sergei Zhigalko's most common line is 3…a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O d6 6.d4. At top level it comes up about 13% of the time.
Is this Sergei Zhigalko's course?
No. ChessDrills builds it automatically from Sergei Zhigalko's public Chess.com blitz games.
What is this Ruy Lopez course based on?
39 of Sergei Zhigalko's Chess.com blitz games in the Ruy Lopez as White, against opponents with an average rating of 2,996. Sergei Zhigalko scored 62% 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 Sergei Zhigalko?
GM Sergei Zhigalko was ranked number 44 on the Chess.com blitz leaderboard with a rating of 3,204 when this course was built.