I have gotten back into my chess after about a 4 year layoff. My openings are understandibly, very rusty. I'm working on getting my Ruy Lopez back right now.

Unfortunately, I'm having great difficulty with the Open Ruy Lopez as White, specifically the Riga Variation, where black captures on d4 on move 6.

(1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O
Nxe4 6. d4 exd4)

Specifically, the problem is if black does not play book moves, I'm all lost and have difficulty knowing what to do.

(7. Re1 d5 8. Nxd4 Qf6<<) (But...but he's supposed to play Bd6!!)

Can anyone reccomend a very good, comprehensive book on the open Ruy Lopez, but one geared toward to white side of the variations. Specifically, one that you know of that would cover the Riga variation, and unorthadox moves? Any chessbase DVDs or Fritz Trainer DVDs anyone know of, or websites? Or, if someone just as some really good advice on how to handle the Open Ruy, and the Riga....I'd like to listen.

Calculate it out. White is winning here. You need to be able to solve this sort of problem over the board, and if you can't, then, really, an opening book won't help you.

Black's pieces are all tied up. 8.Bxc6 bc 9.f3! wins fairly easily as black will never be able to save the pinned knight. eg 9.... Bc5 10. c3 and he can't stop fxe4 next, or 9.Bd6 10.fe Qh4 ed+ and Nf3.

Flears book on the Open Ruy is good, but won't help you with positions like this. This is pure tactics, and you've got to be able to figure them out. What are you afraid of here?

Sorry for troubling you, I played through the variation again this morning, and obtained a very satisfactory position. Perhaps yesterday, my head was not clear, or something. A frustrating truth is my chess ability fluxuates thoughout the day. It's like sometimes I can see so clearly, and other times, I miss so much.

As far as tactics, it has always been my weak part. It's like I just can't improve. Everyone can improve at tactics can't they? Surely no one "can't" do it.

Go to Chesslive.de and enter the moves. A set of games will appear.
Look at the GM games.
Also look at Chessgames.com

Fascinating. I had forgotten about this database. Like I said, I've been out of the game for a while.