Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense (3. Bb5 d6)
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6
The Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense is a chess opening classified as ECO C62, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6. It is a line of the Ruy Lopez. White is to move. 1 named line continues from this position.
In 12.6 million rated Lichess games (blitz and slower), this position was reached 57,464 times by this move order. White won 52%, 5% were drawn and Black won 43%. The most popular continuation is 4. d4 (25% of games).
Engine evaluation: +0.39 (Stockfish, depth 48; best line 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bd7 6. Nc3 g6)
- ECO
- C62
- Moves
- 6 plies
- FEN
r1bqkbnr/ppp2ppp/2np4/1B2p3/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 4- PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6
Analyse with Stockfish · Board image (SVG) · Open on Lichess
Results by rating
| Average rating | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1499 | 24,356 | |
| 1500-1999 | 30,936 | |
| 2000+ | 2,172 | |
| All | 57,464 |
Most played moves
| Move | Games | White / draw / Black |
|---|---|---|
| 4. d4 Steinitz Defense (3… d6 4. d4) | 14,303 (25%) | |
| 4. Bxc6+ | 14,187 (25%) | |
| 4. O-O | 12,275 (21%) | |
| 4. c3 | 5,472 (10%) | |
| 4. h3 | 4,485 (8%) | |
| 4. Nc3 | 3,852 (7%) | |
| 4. d3 | 2,334 (4%) | |
| 4. a3 | 122 (0%) |
Master games
965 over-the-board games are classified under this line (White 64%, draw 12%, Black 24%). The strongest:
- GM Sergey Karjakin (2779) – GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2769) 1-0 · World Rapid Final · 2012-07-08
- GM Alexander Grischuk (2763) – GM Vasyl Ivanchuk (2769) 1-0 · World Blitz Final · 2012-07-09
- GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2730) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2745) 0-1 · chess.com Speed 2019 · 2019-12-04
- GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda (2730) – GM Hikaru Nakamura (2745) 0-1 · chess.com Speed 2019 · 2019-12-04
- GM So, W. (2772) – GM Nihal Sarin (2650) 1/2-1/2 · chess.com Speed 2021 · 2021-12-13
Search all games of the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense and its sub-variations
Highest-rated Lichess games
- Yakamuzosan (2701) – CM Mikkel_Vinh (2670) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- Vnebo (2697) – Zaplya (2548) 1-0 · 2026-09-04 · 180 + 0s
- IM Lenyas66 (2609) – Ouakam (2503) 0-1 · 2026-09-02 · 180 + 2s
Comes from
Ruy Lopez 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
Continuations
- Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense (3… d6 4. d4) C62 · 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4
More Ruy Lopez lines (all)
- 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
- Ruy Lopez: Pollock Defense 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.