Ruy Lopez: Closed, Zaitsev System
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Statistics from Lichess
24,793 games: White 51.3% / Draw 6.3% / Black 42.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 18,84619K | ||
| 2,4392,439 | ||
| 1,6061,606 | ||
| 990990 | ||
| 516516 | ||
| 356356 | ||
| 1313 | ||
| 77 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Sep 26, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.29 The position is about equal
Best play: 10. d4 Bb7 11. Nbd2 Bf8 12. a4 h6 13. Bc2 Nb8 14. Bd3 b4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Zaitsev System (ECO C92, 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. h3 Re8 (9 moves).
In 24,793 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 51.3%, Black 42.4% and 6.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 10. d4, in 76% 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, Zaitsev System
10. Ng5 scores best for White: 55.2%, with White winning 47.0% and Black 36.6% of 1,606 games. The most played answer, 10. d4, scores lowest: 54.4% in 19K games. Stockfish's first choice is 10. d4.
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: Closed, Zaitsev System (C92)”. Lichess data as of 26 Sep 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-closed-zaitsev-system