Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Konikowski Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 d5

Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Konikowski Gambit after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 d5 87654321abcdefgh

The Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Konikowski Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO C64, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 d5. 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 55 times by this move order. White won 56%, 0% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 5. exd5 (35% of games).

Engine evaluation: +1.59 (Stockfish, depth 34; best line 5. Nxe5 Qg5 6. O-O Qxe5 7. d4 Qe6)

ECO
C64
Moves
8 plies
FEN
r1bqk1nr/ppp2ppp/2n5/1Bbpp3/4P3/2P2N2/PP1P1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 5
PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 d5

Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess

Results by rating

Average ratingGamesWhite / draw / Black
0-14991650%50%
1500-19992658%42%
2000+1362%38%
All5556%44%

Most played moves

MoveGamesWhite / draw / Black
5. exd519 (35%)47%53%
5. Nxe515 (27%)73%27%
5. d49 (16%)56%44%
5. Bxc6+5 (9%)60%40%
5. Qe23 (5%)100%
5. d32 (4%)50%50%
5. O-O1 (2%)100%
5. b41 (2%)100%

Master games

2 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 50%, draw 50%, Black 0%). The strongest:

Search all games of the Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Konikowski Gambit and its sub-variations

Highest-rated Lichess games

Comes from

Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Central Variation 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3

More Ruy Lopez lines (all)

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.