C68 · Open · a plan for White
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation
7/7
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Bxc6
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation4.8M games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
92%4.4M49%
0.1%4.0k25%
0.1%2.6k13%
0%50413%
0%42126%
0%26125%
0%10925%
0%5916%
0%5720%
Famous games in this line10k master games
Kamsky, Gata (2741) – Carlsen, Magnus (2862)Firouzja, Alireza (2767) – Carlsen, M. (2832)Nakamura, Hi (2777) – So, W. (2780)Nakamura, Hikaru (2783) – Ivanchuk, Vassily (2769)Nakamura, Hi (2777) – Aronian, L. (2767)Nisipeanu, LD. (2683) – Carlsen, M. (2850)Leko, Peter (2741) – Morozevich, Alexander (2788)Aronian, L. (2722) – Caruana, F. (2804)Heroes of this opening Carlsen, Magnus · Nakamura, Hi · Ivanchuk, Vassily
- Family
- Ruy Lopez
- Category
- Open
- First move
- 1.e4
- ECO
- C68
- Line
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6
Classical
★ Read the guide: Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)Explore all 234 Ruy Lopez lines →Keep exploring
Go deeper — named lines from here
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Lutikov VariationC68 4…bxc6Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Keres VariationC68 4…dxc6 5.Nc3 · 1 deeper lineRuy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Normal VariationC69 4…dxc6 5.O-O · 4 deeper linesRuy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Gligoric VariationC69 4…dxc6 5.O-O f6
Nearby lines in the family
From the archives
Ruy López de Segura was a 16th-century Spanish priest whose 1561 book systematized 3.Bb5 — alongside advice like seating your opponent facing the sun. The 'Spanish torture' has been a world-championship battleground from Steinitz to Carlsen: slow pressure, forever.
Study this opening