Open · a plan for White
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation
7/7
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5Nf64.d3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation2.0M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
40%808k49%
30%616k46%
11%214k41%
3.8%78k44%
3.6%73k43%
2.4%48k43%
1.9%39k43%
1.8%36k43%
1.2%25k38%
Famous games in this line12k master games
Caruana, Fabiano (2835) – Carlsen, Magnus (2863)Carlsen, Magnus (2864) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2803)Carlsen, M. (2855) – Kramnik, Vladimir (2812)Carlsen, M. (2881) – Anand, V. (2785)Carlsen, Magnus (2843) – Aronian, Levon (2816)Carlsen, M. (2863) – Anand, V. (2792)Carlsen, M. (2872) – Caruana, F. (2782)Anand, Viswanathan (2783) – Carlsen, Magnus (2868)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, M.
- Family
- Ruy Lopez
- Category
- Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C65
- Line
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d3
SolidClassical
★ Read the guide: Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)Explore all 234 Ruy Lopez lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Mortimer Variation4…Ne7 · 1 deeper lineRuy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Duras Variation4…d6 5.c4Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Kaufmann Variation4…Bc5 5.Be3Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Anderssen Variation4…d6 5.Bxc6
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
Ruy López de Segura was a Spanish priest whose 1561 book set out 3.Bb5 as a system; the move itself is already in the Göttingen manuscript, written around 1500. The 'Spanish torture' has been a world-championship battleground ever since: slow pressure, forever.
Study this opening