Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Spanish Wing Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
20,677 games: White 48.9% / Draw 3.2% / Black 47.9%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 12,57713K | ||
| 4,8524,852 | ||
| 2,2932,293 | ||
| 229229 | ||
| 141141 | ||
| 127127 | ||
| 8888 | ||
| 8888 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.48 Black is slightly better
Best play: 4... Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O Nge7 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 d5 9. Ba3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, Spanish Wing Gambit (ECO C64, Open Games) is a gambit in the Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. b4 (4 moves).
In 20,677 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.9%, Black 47.9% and 3.2% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 4…Bxb4, 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: Classical Variation, Spanish Wing Gambit
4…Bb6 scores best for Black: 53.8%, with Black winning 52.0% and White 44.5% of 4,852 games. The most played, 4…Bxb4, scores 49.1% in 13K games, and 4…Nxb4 scores lowest: 47.3%. Stockfish's first choice is 4…Bxb4.
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: Classical Variation, Spanish Wing Gambit (C64)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-classical-variation-spanish-wing-gambit