Ruy Lopez: Open, Knorre Variation

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Nc3

Ruy Lopez: Open, Knorre Variation after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Nc3 87654321abcdefgh

The Ruy Lopez: Open, Knorre Variation is a chess opening classified as ECO C80, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Nc3. It is a line of the Ruy Lopez. Black 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 6… Nxc3 (100% of games).

Engine evaluation: −0.40 (Stockfish, depth 38; best line 6… Nxc3 7. bxc3 Be7 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. Nxe5)

ECO
C80
Moves
11 plies
FEN
r1bqkb1r/1ppp1ppp/p1n5/4p3/B3n3/2N2N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 1 6
PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. Nc3

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

Results by rating

Average ratingGamesWhite / draw / Black
0-14991100%
All1100%

Most played moves

MoveGamesWhite / draw / Black
6… Nxc31 (100%)100%

Highest-rated Lichess games

Comes from

Ruy Lopez: Open (5. O-O Nxe4) 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4

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.