Tree path 14 levels King's Pawn Game › King's Knight Opening › Normal Variation › Ruy Lopez › Morphy Defense › Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense › Ruy Lopez: Closed › Ruy Lopez: Closed › Ruy Lopez: Closed › Ruy Lopez: Closed › Chigorin Defense › Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense › Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense › Ruy Lopez: Closed, Borisenko Variation
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game C20
- King's Knight Opening C40
- Normal Variation C44
- Ruy Lopez C60
- Morphy Defense C70
- Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense C78
- Ruy Lopez: Closed C84
- Ruy Lopez: Closed C88
- Ruy Lopez: Closed C90
- Ruy Lopez: Closed C92
- Chigorin Defense C97
- Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense C96
- Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense C96
- Ruy Lopez: Closed, Borisenko Variation C96 you are here
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Borisenko Variation
Overview
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Borisenko Variation is a named branch in the Open Games group of chess theory, classified under ECO C96.
The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.
It is reached after 22 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Na5 10. Bc2 c5 11. d4 Nc6.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- C96
- Group
- Open Games (C)
- Plies
- 22
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
29,180 games · White 52.7% / Draw 5.7% / Black 41.6%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| d5 | 15,110 | |
| Nbd2 | 3,746 | |
| Be3 | 3,550 | |
| a4 | 2,195 | |
| Bg5 | 1,740 | |
| dxe5 | 1,610 | |
| dxc5 | 643 | |
| a3 | 282 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 03:29:08
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