8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5

Shown from White's side. ECO C60.

Opening guide · an opening for White

Ruy Lopez

The Ruy Lopez, also called the Spanish Opening, starts 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5. White's bishop attacks the knight that defends the e5 pawn, which puts lasting pressure on Black's centre. It leads to slow, strategic games and has been a main opening at the top level for well over a century.

Games in our sample
67,992
White wins
50.8%
Draws
5.4%
Black wins
43.8%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Ruy Lopez scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10003,2931.5%52.3%4.1%43.6%
1000 to 11997,5692.4%52.6%3.8%43.6%
1200 to 139912,3022.6%51.4%4.0%44.6%
1400 to 159913,6492.2%51.1%4.4%44.5%
1600 to 179913,0962.0%51.2%4.5%44.3%
1800 to 19999,3461.8%51.1%4.9%44.0%
2000 to 21995,1992.0%50.6%5.8%43.5%
2200 and over3,5383.1%41.7%21.8%36.4%
All ratings67,9922.2%50.8%5.4%43.8%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Ruy Lopez that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Steinitz Defense

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6

    14,205 games · White 51.3% · draws 4.9% · Black 43.7%

    Analyse this position
  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Classical Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5

    5,634 games · White 48.2% · draws 3.9% · Black 47.9%

    Analyse this position
  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Berlin Defense

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6

    4,553 games · White 52.3% · draws 4.4% · Black 43.3%

    Analyse this position
  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Cozio Defense

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nge7

    3,630 games · White 50.4% · draws 4.7% · Black 44.8%

    Analyse this position
  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Bird Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nd4

    3,554 games · White 50.6% · draws 3.9% · Black 45.6%

    Analyse this position
  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Exchange Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6

    2,920 games · White 46.2% · draws 6.0% · Black 47.8%

    Analyse this position

Ideas for White

  • Castle, support the centre with c3 and aim for d4.
  • When the bishop is chased it usually steps back to a4 and then b3, where it still looks at f7.

Ideas for Black

  • 3...a6 asks the bishop where it is going. It is the most common reply.
  • The Berlin Defense, 3...Nf6, is a solid alternative.

Questions

What are the moves of the Ruy Lopez?
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5. In the ECO classification it is filed under C60.
How does the Ruy Lopez score?
In 67,992 games with it in our sample, White won 50.8%, 5.4% were drawn and Black won 43.8%.
At which ratings is the Ruy Lopez played most?
Among players rated 2200 and over it is 3.1% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 1.5%, is among players rated under 1000.
Which line of the Ruy Lopez is played most?
Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6), with 14,205 games in our sample.

Related openings