Caissa Codex
C72

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Kecskemet Variation

Chess diagram: Ruy Lopez: Closed, Kecskemet Variation after 9…Be8

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Statistics from Lichess

57 games: White 57.9% / Draw 5.3% / Black 36.8%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
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Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 13, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.99 White is better

Best play: 10. h3 b5 11. Bc2 Bd7 12. Nf1 Re8 13. Ng3 Rb8 14. a4 exd4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Ruy Lopez: Closed, Kecskemet Variation (ECO C72, Open Games) is a variation of the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. O-O Bd7 6. c3 Nf6 7. d4 Be7 8. Nbd2 O-O 9. Re1 Be8 (9 moves).

In 57 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 57.9%, Black 36.8% and 5.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 10. Nf1, in 63% of those games. That is too few games for the percentages to mean much.

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Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Ruy Lopez: Closed, Kecskemet Variation (C72)”. Lichess data as of 13 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-closed-kecskemet-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-closed-kecskemet-variation