4. Ba4 or Bxc6?
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Which do you guys prefer for move 4 in Ruy Lopez and why?
Aug 25, 2007
0
#2
the exchange is BORING in my opinion. once the queens come off my interest goes down significantly :(
Aug 25, 2007
0
#3
Nobody talked about queens coming off...
I prefer Ba4, but I almost never play the Ruy Lopez. I prefer the King's gambit hehe.
erik wrote: the exchange is BORING in my opinion. once the queens come off my interest goes down significantly :(
I very much like Queenless middlegames and also sometimes play the Ruy Exchange as white 
As black I also like 1. d4 d6 2. e4 e5 3. dxe5 dxe5 4. Qxd8+ Kxd8, 1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 e5 4. dxe5 dxe5 5. Qxd8+ Kxd8 or 1. d4 d6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 dxe5 4. Qxd8+ Kxd8. Sometimes I also play the Exchange KID as white, taking on e5 and on d8.
Queens are too complex imo 
with only rooks, bishops and knights left, you don't have to worry about blunt attacks on your king or suddenly-hanging pawns.
Aug 25, 2007
0
#5
Etienne wrote:
Nobody talked about queens coming off...
I prefer Ba4, but I almost never play the Ruy Lopez. I prefer the King's gambit hehe.
well, if you knew anything about this opening you would know that after Bxc6 the queens ALWAYS come off :)
...dxc6
d4 exd4
Qxd4 Qxd4
Nxd4
and that is how it is played. ;)
guys what's gonna happen if the bishop takes the knight? and what's the logic of placing the white bishop to b5?
4 Bxc6 dxc6! 5 O-O! puts the question to Black: "How to protect the e5 pawn best?"
Aug 27, 2007
0
#8
Yeah, I love playing the white side of the exchange Ruy Lopez. Although I must admit I am more of a positional player rather than a tactical player. I prefer to just go for some small advantages and slowly outplay my opponent.
thnx don! actually my nickname is also don
gm_florence: i didn't answer your 2nd question. most of the opening and most times the entire game of chess is about "controlling" key central squares Bb5 tries to do that. PS: the retreat 4 Ba4 is consider the stronger move, saving the B for later use.
well Ba4 makes the game interesting...
Both moves are playable, and it comes down to what you prefer. The exchange variation is consider to be a slow, rather dull position, where white tries to make something of his 4-3 pawn advantage on the king-side. Black however has a solid defensive setup which in practice has shown to be a tough nut to crack.
Ba4 affords white far more interesting possibilities and leads to a more dynamic game for both sides. Most notable being the Marshall Gambit, or Attack.
Bb5 initiates one of the most analyzed openings in chess, the Ruy Lopez. Though at first it appears to threaten black by undermining the protector of e5, the Bishop actually enjoys a better reputation at either b3 or c2 which is where it usually goes after blacks' thematic a6. White is then able to initiate a counter strike in the center, prepare for potential king-side attacks, or even break through on the queen-side. So many options, so many possibilities, is why this opening continues to be played by the best players in the world.
In the exchange Ruy the queens dont always come off early . I have played both but usually play the exchange when a draw is ok. One of my pet lines in the Ruy is the center attack .....5d4 and I have won many games with this line as the players seem less prepared for this than other, more popular, lines.
I played the exchange variation (4. Bxc6) throughout my high school days and never failed to win with it. Castle kingside then place your queenside pawns on light squares (d3, b2, a4) and black's light square bishop has no scope, while your dark square bishop is quite mobile. Target e5 and f6/f7 with your remaining pieces, and black will be on the back foot the whole game.
Yes, you're basically playing for an endgame advantage, but unless your opponent is expert level or better, that endgame advantage will be a winning one.
As an aside, the exchange variation was why I stopped playing the Ruy Lopez as black.