Ruy Lopez: Bulgarian Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a5
The Ruy Lopez: Bulgarian Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C60, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a5. It is a line of the Ruy Lopez. White is to move.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 131 times by this move order. White won 65%, 4% were drawn and Black won 31%. The most popular continuation is 4. O-O (35% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.61 (Stockfish, depth 56; best line 4. O-O Nd4 5. Bc4 Nxf3+ 6. Qxf3 Nf6)
- ECO
- C60
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/1ppp1ppp/2n5/pB2p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 70 | |
| 1500-1999 | 50 | |
| 2000+ | 11 | |
| All | 131 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. O-O | 46 (35%) | |
| 4. Bxc6 | 31 (24%) | |
| 4. c3 | 22 (17%) | |
| 4. Nc3 | 12 (9%) | |
| 4. d3 | 6 (5%) | |
| 4. a4 | 5 (4%) | |
| 4. d4 | 3 (2%) | |
| 4. a3 | 2 (2%) |
Master games
21 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 38%, draw 14%, Black 48%). The strongest:
- GM Mateusz Bartel (2609) – GM Jergus Pechac (2611) 1/2-1/2 · 5th Prague Challengers · 2023-06-24
- IM Aron Pasti (2367) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2831) 0-1 · Titled Tue 10th Dec Early · 2024-12-10
- IM Frederik Svane (2501) – GM Anton Demchenko (2654) 1-0 · Titled Tue 26th Apr Late · 2022-04-26
- FM Jose Miguel Fernandez Garcia (2434) – GM Svetushkin, D. (2581) 0-1 · 26th Roquetas de Mar Open · 2015-01-05
- GM Sinisa Drazic (2430) – GM Suat Atalik (2550) 1/2-1/2 · 5th ch-Vojvodina Open · 2014-07-17
Search all games of the Ruy Lopez: Bulgarian Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- mauroisaza (2349) – Oatmeal30 (2336) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- maHZ1ar (2228) – togabo (2311) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 2s
- Alanvarela10 (2185) – Alex120999 (2273) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Ruy Lopez 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
More Ruy Lopez lines (all)
- Ruy Lopez: Alapin Defense C60
- Ruy Lopez: Alapin Defense, Alapin Gambit C60
- Ruy Lopez: Brentano Gambit 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
- Ruy Lopez: Pollock Defense C60
- Ruy Lopez: Retreat 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.