Rubinstein Opening: Bogoljubow Defense
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Statistics from Lichess
42,887 games: White 52.8% / Draw 5.4% / Black 41.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 21,09221K | ||
| 9,5169,516 | ||
| 8,4958,495 | ||
| 1,7511,751 | ||
| 1,1641,164 | ||
| 277277 | ||
| 230230 | ||
| 152152 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.11 The position is about equal
Best play: 8. dxc5 Bxc5 9. a3 Re8 10. b4 Bf8 11. b5 Ne7 12. c4 dxc4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Rubinstein Opening: Bogoljubow Defense (ECO D05, Closed & Semi-Closed Games) is a variation of the Rubinstein Opening, reached after 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 c5 4. Bd3 d5 5. b3 Nc6 6. O-O Bd6 7. Bb2 O-O (7 moves).
In 42,887 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.8%, Black 41.8% and 5.4% were drawn. White's most played move here is 8. Nbd2, in 49% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Rubinstein Opening: Bogoljubow Defense
The most played answer, 8. Nbd2, also scores best for White: 56.1%, with White winning 53.4% and Black 41.3% of 21K games. Of the main answers, 8. a3 scores lowest: 55.0%. Stockfish's first choice is 8. dxc5.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Rubinstein Opening: Bogoljubow Defense (D05)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/rubinstein-opening-bogoljubow-defense