Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6
The Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C68, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6. It is a line of the Ruy Lopez. Black is to move. 5 named lines continue from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 23,655 times by this move order. White won 50%, 6% were drawn and Black won 44%. The most popular continuation is 4… dxc6 (80% of games).
Engine evaluation: 0.00 (Stockfish, depth 60; best line 4… dxc6 5. O-O Qf6 6. d4 exd4 7. Bg5)
- ECO
- C68
- Moves
- 7 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/1ppp1ppp/p1B5/4p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 12,273 | |
| 1500-1999 | 8,823 | |
| 2000+ | 2,559 | |
| All | 23,655 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4… dxc6 | 18,980 (80%) | |
| 4… bxc6 Exchange Variation, Lutikov Variation | 4,597 (19%) | |
| 4… b5 | 19 (0%) | |
| 4… Nf6 | 13 (0%) | |
| 4… b6 | 12 (0%) | |
| 4… Bd6 | 5 (0%) | |
| 4… Qe7 | 3 (0%) | |
| 4… f6 | 2 (0%) |
Master games
863 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 33%, draw 27%, Black 40%). The strongest:
- GM Jorden Van Foreest (2702) – GM Santosh Gujrathi Vidit (2727) 0-1 · Titled Tue 22nd Feb Early · 2022-02-22
- GM Jorden Van Foreest (2714) – GM Quang Liem Le (2709) 0-1 · Chess.com Rapid Wk7 Swiss · 2022-03-26
- GM Jorden Van Foreest (2702) – GM Gawain C B Maroroa Jones (2671) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 22nd Feb Early · 2022-02-22
- GM Vladimir Fedoseev (2678) – GM Maksim Chigaev (2588) 1/2-1/2 · PNWCC Bullet (1+1) 2020 · 2020-08-09
- GM Alireza Firouzja (2737) – GM Sergei Lobanov (2506) 1/2-1/2 · Titled Tue 25th Jun Early · 2024-06-25
Search all games of the Ruy Lopez: Exchange 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: Morphy Defense (3. Bb5 a6) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
Continuations
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Lutikov Variation C68 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 bxc6
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Keres Variation C68 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Normal Variation C69 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. O-O
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Alekhine Variation C68 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd6
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange, Alekhine Variation C68 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd7
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.