Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Improved Steinitz Defense
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6
The Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Improved Steinitz Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO C66, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6. It is a line of the Ruy Lopez. White is to move. 3 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 3,352 times by this move order. White won 54%, 5% were drawn and Black won 41%. The most popular continuation is 5. Re1 (36% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.61 (Stockfish, depth 50; best line 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 Be7 7. d5 Nb8)
- ECO
- C66
- Moves
- 8 plies
- FEN
r1bqkb1r/ppp2ppp/2np1n2/1B2p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQ1RK1 w kq - 0 5- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 796 | |
| 1500-1999 | 2,090 | |
| 2000+ | 466 | |
| All | 3,352 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5. Re1 | 1,209 (36%) | |
| 5. d4 | 894 (27%) | |
| 5. c3 | 390 (12%) | |
| 5. h3 | 345 (10%) | |
| 5. d3 | 260 (8%) | |
| 5. Nc3 | 134 (4%) | |
| 5. Bxc6+ | 103 (3%) | |
| 5. Qe2 | 9 (0%) |
Master games
393 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 57%, draw 14%, Black 29%). The strongest:
- GM Jorden Van Foreest (2701) – GM Teimour Radjabov (2765) 1/2-1/2 · Magnus Carlsen Inv Prelim · 2021-03-14
- GM Daniil Dubov (2714) – GM Vladislav Artemiev (2704) 1/2-1/2 · Goldmoney Asian Prelim · 2021-06-28
- GM Fabiano Caruana (2767) – GM Huebner, R. (2583) 1/2-1/2 · TCh-SUI National A 2012 · 2012-10-21
- GM Frederik Svane (2617) – GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2731) 0-1 · Titled Tue 26th Mar Early · 2024-03-26
- GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2698) – GM Praggnanandhaa R (2608) 1-0 · chess.com Junior Speed · 2021-07-05
Search all games of the Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Improved Steinitz Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- smihir6 (2701) – GM AtalikS (2655) 1-0 · 2026-09-03 · 180 + 0s
- CM JoeAssaad (2660) – CM Mikkel_Vinh (2668) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Meatloaf927 (2710) – Zaplya (2542) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense (3… Nf6 4. O-O) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O
Continuations
- Ruy Lopez: Closed Berlin Defense, Chigorin Variation C66 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Nd7
- Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Closed Wolf Variation C66 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 exd4
- Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Hedgehog Variation C66 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 Be7
More Ruy Lopez lines (all)
- Ruy Lopez C60
- Ruy Lopez: Alapin Defense C60
- Ruy Lopez: Alapin Defense, Alapin Gambit C60
- Ruy Lopez: Brentano Gambit C60
- Ruy Lopez: Bulgarian Variation C60
- Ruy Lopez: Cozio Defense C60
- Ruy Lopez: Cozio Defense, Paulsen Variation C60
- Ruy Lopez: Cozio Defense, Tartakower Gambit C60
- Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense C60
- Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense, Kevitz Gambit C60
- Ruy Lopez: Lucena Variation C60
- Ruy Lopez: Nürnberg Variation C60
Opening names and moves from the Lichess openings dataset; statistics from the Lichess open database, 2026-09 (CC0), sample of 12.6 million games, bots excluded; evaluations from Lichess cloud analysis (all CC0). Master games from The Week in Chess #920–#1664 by Mark Crowther, used with permission.