Ruy López de Segura
Ruy López de Segura | |
|---|---|
Ruy López playing Leonardo di Bona in the Spanish royal court; also depicted is King Philip II of Spain. (Luigi Mussini, 1883) | |
| Full name | Rodrigo López de Segura |
| Country | Spain |
| Born | c. 1530 Segura |
| Died | c. 1580 (aged c. 50) |
Rodrigo "Ruy" López de Segura (c. 1530 – c. 1580) was a Spanish chess player, author, and Catholic priest whose 1561 treatise Libro de la invención liberal y Arte del juego del Axedrez was one of the first books about modern chess in Europe. He made great contributions to chess opening theory, including in the King's Gambit and the Ruy López (or Spanish) opening that bears his name. López was also the strongest player in Spain for about 20 years.