Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Closed Bernstein Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
11,340 games: White 56.3% / Draw 5.9% / Black 37.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 6,4916,491 | ||
| 1,7551,755 | ||
| 1,3661,366 | ||
| 1,1211,121 | ||
| 399399 | ||
| 5858 | ||
| 4545 | ||
| 3434 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.12 The position is about equal
Best play: 7... exd4 8. Nxd4 O-O 9. Nxc6 Bxc6 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. Qe2 Re8 12. Rae1
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Closed Bernstein Variation (ECO C66, Open Games) is a variation of the Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Hedgehog Variation, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Bg5 (7 moves).
In 11,340 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 56.3%, Black 37.8% and 5.9% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 7…O-O, in 57% 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 Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Closed Bernstein Variation
7…h6 scores best for Black: 41.9%, with Black winning 38.7% and White 54.8% of 1,755 games. The most played, 7…O-O, scores 40.9% in 6,491 games, and 7…a6 scores lowest: 37.8%. Stockfish's first choice is 7…exd4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black'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. “Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, Closed Bernstein Variation (C66)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-berlin-defense-closed-bernstein-variation