Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Normal Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O
The Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Normal Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C69, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O. It is a line of the Ruy Lopez. Black is to move. 4 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 5,847 times by this move order. White won 51%, 6% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 5… Bd6 (36% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 55; best line 5… Qf6 6. d4 exd4 7. Bg5 Qd6 8. Nxd4)
- ECO
- C69
- Moves
- 9 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/1pp2ppp/p1p5/4p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 1 5- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 1,685 | |
| 1500-1999 | 2,820 | |
| 2000+ | 1,342 | |
| All | 5,847 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 5… Bd6 Exchange Variation, King's Bishop Variation | 2,128 (36%) | |
| 5… Bg4 | 1,691 (29%) | |
| 5… f6 Exchange Variation, Gligoric Variation | 838 (14%) | |
| 5… Nf6 | 468 (8%) | |
| 5… Qf6 | 267 (5%) | |
| 5… Bc5 | 152 (3%) | |
| 5… Qd6 Exchange Variation, Bronstein Variation | 118 (2%) | |
| 5… Ne7 | 26 (0%) |
Master games
1,883 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 28%, Black 39%). The strongest:
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2767) – GM Magnus Carlsen (2832) 0-1 · SpeedChess Final 2024 · 2024-09-08
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2777) – GM So, W. (2780) 1-0 · chess.com Speed 5m+1spm 2018 · 2018-12-02
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2771) – GM Fabiano Caruana (2784) 1-0 · Saint Louis Blitz 2025 · 2025-08-15
- GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (2771) – GM Gukesh D (2776) 1-0 · Saint Louis Blitz 2025 · 2025-08-14
- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2777) – GM Levon Aronian (2767) 1/2-1/2 · chess.com Speed 5m+1spm 2018 · 2018-12-01
Search all games of the Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Normal Variation and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- winx_m (2947) – Chess1Love0 (2798) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- winx_m (2935) – NM Andrey11976 (2799) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
- winx_m (2943) – NM Andrey11976 (2792) 1-0 · 2026-09-05 · 180 + 0s
Comes from
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6
Continuations
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Bronstein Variation C69 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Qd6
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Gligoric Variation C69 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O f6
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, King's Bishop Variation C69 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Bd6
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Alapin Gambit C69 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5
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.