user25701: I just played a very short game in the Ruy Lopez, where I played white and pushed d4-d5 early, and it felt like I just gave black's knight a headstart to maneuvre into a better position where I was quickly lost. I thought that this push was common in Ruy Lopez positions so I was surprised this was so bad, and I can't find any master games in a similar position where this mistake is made (and it makes sense that I just helped black with their maneuvre), so why then is it so clearly bad here, but apparently thematic in other Ruy Lopez positions?
[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2023.01.24"]
[Round "-"]
[White "me"]
[Black "black"]
[Result "0-1"]
[CurrentPosition "r4rk1/ppp3pp/1b1p1pn1/3Pp3/4Pn2/2P1BN1q/PPBN1P2/R2QR1K1 w - -"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "C64"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Ruy-Lopez-Opening-Classical-Central-Variation-Charousek-Variation"]
[UTCDate "2023.01.24"]
[FEN ""]
[UTCTime "07:21:29"]
[WhiteElo "1714"]
[BlackElo "1827"]
[TimeControl "600"]
[Termination "Black won by resignation"]
[StartTime "07:21:29"]
[EndDate "2023.01.24"]
[EndTime "07:26:39"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Bb6 5. O-O d6 6. Re1 Nf6 7. d4 O-O 8. d5 Ne7 9. Bd3 Ng6 10. h3 Nh5 11. Bg5
f6 12. Bc1 Nhf4 13. Bc2 Bd7 14. Be3 Qc8 15. Nbd2 Bxh3 16. gxh3 Qxh3 0-1


user14079: Obviously d4-d5 in your game was not successful even if you could have defended better afterwards (e.g. 11.Be3 comes to mind, to counter the beast bishop on b6).
d4-d5 is a double edge move, gaining space but removing the pressure against e5 and the possibility to open the d-file. Many strategic subtelties and tactical nuances can make it better or worse given the circumstances.
Factors than make d5 more attractive are:

White first plan in the Ruy Lopez is to target the Pe5 and force Black to protect it. Most often you want to wait for Back to invest time in the defense of e5 (...Re8, ...d6, sometimes Nc6-b8-d7...), or to threaten ed4 (e.g. with Nf6, Re8, Bb7 aiming at e4) before you release the pressure with d4-d5 and leave their pieces passive.

when Black has played ...a6 and ...b5, the square c6 is weakened and d5 puts a grip on it. Also, the Black queenside pawns are a target (exposed by a4 or b3-a4 or b3-c4) which will be more difficult for Black to defend when the Pd5 restricts their pieces.

if the dark squared bishop is inside its pawn chain (Be7), then d5 blocking the Pd6 will box it in and force it to remain passive for a long while (Black sometimes go for the very long plan ...Re8, ...Bf8, ...g6, ...Bg7 and eventually ...f5 to revive it). Conversively, when it eyes f2 from a7 or b6  as in your game, d4-d5 opens a dangerous diagonal where the active bishop sits very happily.

Black's light-squared sometimes goes to b7, trying to target White's Pe4. It would enjoy a bright future if the center opens, but d4-d5 shuts the door on its nose; ...c7-c6 would then be the only try to revive it, but it's not so easy to engineer because it weakens the Pd6 and the square d5.



25701: <p>I just played a very short game in the Ruy Lopez, where I played white and pushed d4-d5 early, and it felt like I just gave black's knight a headstart to maneuvre into a better position where I was quickly lost. I thought that this push was common in Ruy Lopez positions so I was surprised this was so bad, and I can't find any master games in a similar position where this mistake is made (and it makes sense that I just helped black with their maneuvre), so why then is it so clearly bad here, but apparently thematic in other Ruy Lopez positions?</p>
<pre><code>[Event &quot;Live Chess&quot;]
[Site &quot;Chess.com&quot;]
[Date &quot;2023.01.24&quot;]
[Round &quot;-&quot;]
[White &quot;me&quot;]
[Black &quot;black&quot;]
[Result &quot;0-1&quot;]
[CurrentPosition &quot;r4rk1/ppp3pp/1b1p1pn1/3Pp3/4Pn2/2P1BN1q/PPBN1P2/R2QR1K1 w - -&quot;]
[Timezone &quot;UTC&quot;]
[ECO &quot;C64&quot;]
[ECOUrl &quot;https://www.chess.com/openings/Ruy-Lopez-Opening-Classical-Central-Variation-Charousek-Variation&quot;]
[UTCDate &quot;2023.01.24&quot;]
[FEN &quot;&quot;]
[UTCTime &quot;07:21:29&quot;]
[WhiteElo &quot;1714&quot;]
[BlackElo &quot;1827&quot;]
[TimeControl &quot;600&quot;]
[Termination &quot;Black won by resignation&quot;]
[StartTime &quot;07:21:29&quot;]
[EndDate &quot;2023.01.24&quot;]
[EndTime &quot;07:26:39&quot;]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 Bb6 5. O-O d6 6. Re1 Nf6 7. d4 O-O 8. d5 Ne7 9. Bd3 Ng6 10. h3 Nh5 11. Bg5
f6 12. Bc1 Nhf4 13. Bc2 Bd7 14. Be3 Qc8 15. Nbd2 Bxh3 16. gxh3 Qxh3 0-1
</code></pre>
 14079: <p>Obviously d4-d5 in your game was not successful even if you could have defended better afterwards (e.g. 11.Be3 comes to mind, to counter the beast bishop on b6).</p>
<p>d4-d5 is a double edge move, gaining space but removing the pressure against e5 and the possibility to open the d-file. Many strategic subtelties and tactical nuances can make it better or worse given the circumstances.</p>
<p>Factors than make d5 more attractive are:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>White first plan in the Ruy Lopez is to target the Pe5 and force Black to protect it. Most often you want to wait for Back to invest time in the defense of e5 (...Re8, ...d6, sometimes Nc6-b8-d7...), or to threaten ed4 (e.g. with Nf6, Re8, Bb7 aiming at e4) before you release the pressure with d4-d5 and leave their pieces passive.</p>
</li>
<li><p>when Black has played ...a6 and ...b5, the square c6 is weakened and d5 puts a grip on it. Also, the Black queenside pawns are a target (exposed by a4 or b3-a4 or b3-c4) which will be more difficult for Black to defend when the Pd5 restricts their pieces.</p>
</li>
<li><p>if the dark squared bishop is inside its pawn chain (Be7), then d5 blocking the Pd6 will box it in and force it to remain passive for a long while (Black sometimes go for the very long plan ...Re8, ...Bf8, ...g6, ...Bg7 and eventually ...f5 to revive it). Conversively, when it eyes f2 from a7 or b6  as in your game, d4-d5 opens a dangerous diagonal where the active bishop sits very happily.</p>
</li>
<li><p>Black's light-squared sometimes goes to b7, trying to target White's Pe4. It would enjoy a bright future if the center opens, but d4-d5 shuts the door on its nose; ...c7-c6 would then be the only try to revive it, but it's not so easy to engineer because it weakens the Pd6 and the square d5.</p>
</li>
</ul>
