Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Alekhine Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd6
The Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Alekhine Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C68, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd6. 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 48 times by this move order. White won 48%, 12% were drawn and Black won 40%. The most popular continuation is 8. Be3 (27% of games).
Engine evaluation: −0.11 (Stockfish, depth 46; best line 8. Be3 Bd7 9. Nd2 O-O-O 10. f3 Re8)
- ECO
- C68
- Moves
- 14 plies
- FEN
r1b1k1nr/1pp2ppp/p1pb4/8/3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNB1K2R w KQkq - 1 8- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 9 | |
| 1500-1999 | 14 | |
| 2000+ | 25 | |
| All | 48 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 8. Be3 | 13 (27%) | |
| 8. Nc3 | 11 (23%) | |
| 8. O-O | 10 (21%) | |
| 8. f4 | 5 (10%) | |
| 8. f3 | 2 (4%) | |
| 8. Nd2 | 2 (4%) | |
| 8. a3 | 1 (2%) | |
| 8. c3 | 1 (2%) |
Master games
56 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 30%, draw 43%, Black 27%). The strongest:
- GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2690) – GM Maksim Chigaev (2622) 0-1 · Titled Tue 23rd Jan Late · 2024-01-23
- IM Yuri Korsunsky (2411) – IM Nikita Petrov (2509) 1/2-1/2 · 32nd ECC Open 2016 · 2016-11-12
- IM Angelo Damia (2296) – GM Nikita Petrov (2599) 0-1 · 40th Arco Open 2018 · 2018-10-18
- IM Artur Frolov (2416) – IM Petro Golubka (2475) 1/2-1/2 · 86th ch-UKR 2017 · 2017-12-10
- FM Kelvin Antonio Sanchez Alvares (2250) – GM Nikita Meshkovs (2585) 0-1 · Titled Tuesday 1st Sept · 2020-09-01
Search all games of the Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Alekhine Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- IM nooartur (2597) – IM Alex_lucky (2599) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 2s
- KrUeL (2454) – IM MrSuccess (2631) 1/2-1/2 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- KrUeL (2456) – pixelares (2552) 1-0 · 2026-09-01 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6
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.