Ruy Lopez: Central Countergambit
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Statistics from Lichess
8,981 games: White 68.8% / Draw 3.1% / Black 28.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 5,4705,470 | ||
| 2,5422,542 | ||
| 509509 | ||
| 212212 | ||
| 124124 | ||
| 8080 | ||
| 1313 | ||
| 1313 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 10, 2026
Engine evaluation
+3.92 White is clearly better
Best play: 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. c4 Qd6 8. Nxe5 Qxe5 9. Re1 Ne4 10. Nc3 f5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Ruy Lopez: Central Countergambit (ECO C78, Open Games) is a gambit in the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d5 (5 moves).
In 8,981 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 68.8%, Black 28.1% and 3.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 6. exd5, in 61% 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: Central Countergambit
6. Nxe5 scores best for White: 75.7%, with White winning 74.4% and Black 23.0% of 2,542 games. The most played, 6. exd5, scores 69.7% in 5,470 games, and 6. Bxc6+ scores lowest: 63.9%. Stockfish's first choice is 6. exd5.
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. “Ruy Lopez: Central Countergambit (C78)”. Lichess data as of 10 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-central-countergambit