The setup allows for quick kingside castling and piece development. Common Variations Closed Ruy Lopez ( ): The most popular response. White typically plays

): A concrete approach that trades the bishop for the knight, aiming to damage Black's pawn structure and create a better endgame (typically with a 4-3 kingside pawn majority). Berlin Defense (

, maintaining the tension, before proceeding with standard maneuvering. Exchange Variation (

Use this pawn push to open the center and challenge Black's control.