Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense
The Berlin Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6) is Black's second most popular answer to the Ruy Lopez, after 3...a6. Read the guide
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Statistics from Lichess
9,672,559 games: White 51.6% / Draw 5.2% / Black 43.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 4,559,1904.6M | ||
| Anti-Berlin Variation | 2,337,0832.3M | |
| 1,385,3851.4M | ||
| Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation | 986,393986K | |
| 137,231137K | ||
| 136,270136K | ||
| 97,93898K | ||
| 5,3455,345 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 5, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.18 The position is about equal
Best play: 4. O-O Nxe4 5. Re1 Nd6 6. Nxe5 Be7 7. Bf1 Nxe5 8. Rxe5 O-O
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
By rating
Rating changes little here: Black scores 46% under 1400, 48% at 2200 and up and 46% in master games (wins plus half the draws).
| Players | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1400 | 9.4M | |
| 1400–1799 | 9.5M | |
| 1800–2199 | 4.7M | |
| 2200 and up | 745K | |
| Masters, over the board | 33K |
Master games
- Caruana, F. – Carlsen, M.
- Caruana, F. – Carlsen, M.
- Caruana, F. – Carlsen, M.
- Anand, V. – Carlsen, M.
- Carlsen, M. – Kramnik, V.
Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 26, 2026
Description
The Berlin Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6) is Black's second most popular answer to the Ruy Lopez, after 3...a6. Black counterattacks the e4-pawn, and in the main line heads for a queenless endgame nicknamed the "Berlin Wall". It is often used as a drawing weapon.
Origins
The Berlin Defense was first analysed in depth in the 19th century, and it takes its name from the Berlin players who examined its variations. Emanuel Lasker used it often throughout his career. Its modern fame comes from the 2000 Classical World Championship: Vladimir Kramnik used it in games 1, 3, 9 and 13 against Garry Kasparov, all drawn, and won the title. Magnus Carlsen and Viswanathan Anand both played it in their 2013 World Championship match.
The idea
In the main line, 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8, the queens come off at move eight. Black has doubled c-pawns and the king in the centre, and can no longer castle. In return Black has the bishop pair. White has a healthy kingside pawn majority. The general view is that Black can hold this endgame with accurate play.
Main lines
- Berlin Wall endgame after 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6: the main line described above.
- After 4.O-O Nxe4, Black can also avoid the early queen trade with 5.d4 Be7, the Rio de Janeiro Variation.
- 4.O-O Bc5: the Beverwijk Variation, also reached from the Cordel Defence (3...Bc5).
- Anti-Berlin 4.d3: White protects e4, keeps the game closed and sidesteps the Berlin endgame.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Very solid: one of the best ways for Black to neutralise 1.e4 at the top level.
- The endgame is well understood and hard for White to win.
- It changed top-level practice: many White players turned to the Anti-Berlin 4.d3 to avoid the drawish lines.
Weaknesses
- Very drawish, so Black's winning chances are small against a careful opponent.
- The endgame requires real understanding: at club level, a misplaced king or weak pawns can lose.
- The Anti-Berlin 4.d3 leads to long manoeuvring games that Black must also know.
Who should play it
The Berlin suits solid, endgame-minded players who want a reliable defence against the Ruy Lopez, and players who need a safe result with Black. It is effective against aggressive 1.e4 players who want a middlegame attack, because the queens disappear early. It is less suitable for players who need to win with Black, or who don't enjoy endgames.
The numbers
On Lichess below 2200, White wins 51.4–52.5% and Black 43–43.5%. Above 2200 it is 48% against 43%. Among masters over the board 65% of games are drawn, White wins 21% and Black 14%.
Suggest an improvement or report a mistake
How to play against the Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense
The most played answer, 4. O-O, also scores best for White: 56.1%, with White winning 53.4% and Black 41.2% of 4.6M games. Of the main answers, 4. Bxc6 scores lowest: 50.9%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4. O-O.
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
Popularity by year
The Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense has lost ground since 2016: 0.32% of Lichess games in 2025, down from 0.44%.
Numbers by year
| Year | Share of games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 0.44% | 155,901 |
| 2017 | 0.42% | 229,814 |
| 2018 | 0.43% | 341,207 |
| 2019 | 0.41% | 516,413 |
| 2020 | 0.42% | 1,230,313 |
| 2021 | 0.4% | 1,569,708 |
| 2022 | 0.38% | 1,427,715 |
| 2023 | 0.37% | 1,383,210 |
| 2024 | 0.35% | 1,238,309 |
| 2025 | 0.32% | 1,093,446 |
| 2026 (Jan–Apr) | 0.31% | 345,236 |
Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling
Variations (4)
Transpositions
All 36 named lines that continue from here
No line matches.
- C65 Berlin Defense 4 moves
- C65 Anti-Berlin Variation 4 moves
- C65 Nyholm Attack 5 moves
- C65 Ruy Lopez: Halloween Attack 4 moves
- C65 Anderssen Variation 5 moves
- C65 Duras Variation 5 moves
- C65 Kaufmann Variation 5 moves
- C65 Mortimer Variation 4 moves
- C65 Beverwijk Variation 4 moves
- C65 Fishing Pole Variation 4 moves
- C66 Improved Steinitz Defense 4 moves
- C67 Rio Gambit Accepted 4 moves
- C65 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Anti-Berlin Variation, Mortimer Trap 5 moves
- C66 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Closed Wolf Variation 6 moves
- C66 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Hedgehog Variation 6 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, l'Hermet Variation 5 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Rio de Janeiro Variation 5 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Rosenthal Variation 5 moves
- C65 Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Zukertort Gambit 5 moves
- C66 Ruy Lopez: Closed Berlin Defense, Chigorin Variation 5 moves
- C66 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Closed Bernstein Variation 7 moves
- C66 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Closed Showalter Variation 7 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Cordel Variation 8 moves
- C67 Berlin Wall Defense 8 moves
- C67 Westerinen Line 7 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Minckwitz Variation 6 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Pillsbury Variation 9 moves
- C67 Rio de Janeiro Variation 13 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Trifunovic Variation 6 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Winawer Attack 9 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Zukertort Variation 9 moves
- C64 Ruy Lopez: Classical Defense, Benelux Variation 6 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Open Berlin Defense, l'Hermet Variation 6 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Open Berlin Defense, Showalter Variation 6 moves
- C67 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Berlin Wall 9 moves
- C64 Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Modern Main Line 7 moves
Sources
- History and theory: adapted from the Wikipedia article Berlin Defence, version of 8 November 2026, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Results: Lichess opening explorer, figures collected from September to November 2026.
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense (C65)”. Lichess data as of 5 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-berlin-defense