C68 · Open · a plan for White

Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Keres Variation

9/9
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Bb5a64.Bxc6dxc65.Nc3
Live databaseLichess 1600–2000 · blitz + rapid
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Keres Variation363k games · Black to move
MoveWhite / draw / BlackPlayedGamesScore
41%149k47%
24%87k49%
15%54k53%
8.1%29k45%
6.4%23k52%
1.6%5.9k46%
1.4%5.0k50%
1.3%4.9k54%
0.3%1.0k48%
0.2%84344%
Famous games in this line1.0k master games
Aronian, L. (2722) – Caruana, F. (2804)2024½–½Harikrishna, P. (2744) – Ding Liren (2777)2017½–½Duda, Jan Krzysztof (2755) – Ragger, Markus (2670)2020½–½Karpov, Anatoly (2670) – Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar (2752)2007½–½Gurel, Ediz (2645) – Keymer, Vincent (2776)2025½–½Socko, B. (2604) – Harikrishna, P. (2762)2017½–½Adhiban, Baskaran (2567) – Nakamura, Hikaru (2772)20130–1Short, Nigel D (2686) – Acs, Peter (2600)2003½–½
Family
Ruy Lopez
Category
Open
First move
1.e4
ECO
C68
Line
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3
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, Romanovsky VariationC68 5…f6 6.d3
Nearby lines in the family
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Jaffe GambitC77 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.c3Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Nyholm AttackC65 3…Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-ORuy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Wormald AttackC77 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Qe2
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
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