Ruy Lopez: Closed, Lutikov Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
2,762 games: White 44.0% / Draw 5.6% / Black 50.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,4081,408 | ||
| 327327 | ||
| 249249 | ||
| 228228 | ||
| 220220 | ||
| 163163 | ||
| 5858 | ||
| 3737 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 24, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.17 The position is about equal
Best play: 9... Re8 10. d3 d5 11. Nbd2 Be6 12. a4 b4 13. a5 dxe4 14. dxe4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Lutikov Variation (ECO C90, Open Games) is a variation of the Ruy Lopez: Closed, reached after 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. Bc2 (9 moves).
In 2,762 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 44.0%, Black 50.4% and 5.6% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 9…Bg4, in 51% 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: Closed, Lutikov Variation
9…Re8 scores best for Black: 57.2%, with Black winning 54.6% and White 40.2% of 249 games. The most played, 9…Bg4, scores 54.5% in 1,408 games, and 9…Bb7 scores lowest: 48.2%. Stockfish's first choice is also 9…Re8.
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: Closed, Lutikov Variation (C90)”. Lichess data as of 24 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-closed-lutikov-variation