Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5
The Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C64, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5. 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 32,803 times by this move order. White won 50%, 4% were drawn and Black won 46%. The most popular continuation is 4. O-O (35% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.32 (Stockfish, depth 56; best line 4. O-O Nd4 5. Nxd4 Bxd4 6. c3 Bb6)
- ECO
- C64
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/1Bb1p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 4 4- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 13,243 | |
| 1500-1999 | 16,379 | |
| 2000+ | 3,181 | |
| All | 32,803 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. O-O | 11,642 (35%) | |
| 4. Bxc6 | 8,770 (27%) | |
| 4. c3 Classical Variation, Central Variation | 7,186 (22%) | |
| 4. Nc3 | 1,917 (6%) | |
| 4. d3 | 1,873 (6%) | |
| 4. Nxe5 | 726 (2%) | |
| 4. d4 | 190 (1%) | |
| 4. h3 | 130 (0%) |
Master games
1,429 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 49%, draw 18%, Black 33%). The strongest:
- Stoofvlees II a19 (3509) – Igel 3.0.10 (3495) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-18
- Igel 3.0.10 (3495) – Stoofvlees II a19 (3509) 1/2-1/2 · TCEC 22 Premier 2022 · 2022-03-16
- GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2721) – GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2762) 1/2-1/2 · 11th Sinquefield Cup · 2024-08-22
- GM Levon Aronian (2737) – GM Quang Liem Le (2729) 1/2-1/2 · Saint Louis Blitz 2025 · 2025-08-15
- GM Leinier Dominguez Perez (2738) – GM Quang Liem Le (2729) 1/2-1/2 · Saint Louis Rapid 2025 · 2025-08-12
Search all games of the Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- puziko52 (2695) – IM filolog (2718) 0-1 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- apollothedog (2698) – DiabloDiabloDiablo (2647) 1-0 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 0s
- SouthWind06 (2602) – IM filolog (2707) 0-1 · 2026-09-07 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Ruy Lopez 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
Continuations
- Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Central Variation C64 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3
- Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Spanish Wing Gambit C64 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. b4
- Ruy Lopez: Classical Defense, Zaitsev Variation C64 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. O-O Nd4 5. b4
More Ruy Lopez lines (all)
- 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
- Ruy Lopez: Pollock Defense 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.