Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense, Gajewski Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 d5

The Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense, Gajewski Gambit is a chess opening classified as ECO C96, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 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 1 times by this move order. White won 100%, 0% were drawn and Black won 0%. The most popular continuation is 11. exd5 (100% of games).

Engine evaluation: +0.56 (Stockfish, depth 32; best line 11. d4 Nxe4 12. Nxe5 Bf5 13. Nd2 f6)

ECO: C96
Moves: 20 plies
FEN: r1bq1rk1/2p1bppp/p4n2/np1pp3/4P3/2P2N1P/PPBP1PP1/RNBQR1K1 w - - 0 11
PGN: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 d5

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

Results by rating

Average rating	Games	White / draw / Black
2000+	1	100%
All	1	100%

Most played moves

Move	Games	White / draw / Black
11. exd5	1 (100%)	100%

Master games

94 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 39%, draw 29%, Black 32%). The strongest:

GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (2732) – GM Jorden Van Foreest (2665) 1-0 · Chess.com Classic Div 2 W · 2024-05-10
GM Julio Becerra Rivero (2539) – GM Andrey Stukopin (2600) 1/2-1/2 · US Chess Masters 2017 · 2017-08-26
GM Federico Perez Ponsa (2554) – GM Jose Angel Guerra Mendez (2534) 1/2-1/2 · Barcelona Masters CAT-ARG · 2018-10-11
GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2676) – IM Frhat, A. (2404) 1-0 · Titled Tuesday 2nd June · 2020-06-02
IM Victor Nithander (2438) – GM Tomi Nyback (2638) 1-0 · Manhem GM 2012 · 2012-08-11

Search all games of the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense, Gajewski Gambit and its sub-variations

Highest-rated Lichess games

Omega_Rugal (2092) – schaakduin (2121) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 2s

Comes from

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense (9… Na5 10. Bc2) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2

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.