Ruy Lopez: Open 8…Be6 9. c3
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Statistics from Lichess
63,215 games: White 46.1% / Draw 7.5% / Black 46.3%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Italian Variation | 38,36138K | |
| Classical Defense | 21,85322K | |
| Berlin Variation | 2,3592,359 | |
| 170170 | ||
| 166166 | ||
| 114114 | ||
| 6565 | ||
| 2525 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.16 The position is about equal
Best play: 9... Bc5 10. Qd3 O-O 11. Be3 Bxe3 12. Qxe3 f5 13. Nbd2 Qe8 14. Rad1
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Ruy Lopez: Open (ECO C82, Open Games) is a variation of the Ruy Lopez: Open, Main Line, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 (9 moves).
In 63,215 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.1%, Black 46.3% and 7.5% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 9…Bc5, in 61% of those games.
It branches into 3 named variations; the most played are Ruy Lopez: Open, Italian Variation and Ruy Lopez: Open, Classical Defense. In all, 10 named lines continue from it.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to answer 9. c3
The most played answer, 9…Bc5 (Italian Variation), also scores best for Black: 52.5%, with Black winning 49.0% and White 44.0% of 38K games. Of the main answers, 9…Be7 scores lowest: 46.8%. Stockfish's first choice is also 9…Bc5.
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
Variations (3)
All 10 named lines that continue from here
- C82 Berlin Variation 9 moves
- C83 Classical Defense 9 moves
- C82 Italian Variation 9 moves
- C83 Ruy Lopez: Open, Breslau Variation 11 moves
- C83 Ruy Lopez: Open, Malkin Variation 11 moves
- C82 Ruy Lopez: Open, Motzko Attack 10 moves
- C82 Ruy Lopez: Open, St. Petersburg Variation 10 moves
- C83 Ruy Lopez: Open, Tarrasch Trap 13 moves
- C82 Ruy Lopez: Open, Dilworth Variation 11 moves
- C82 Nenarokov Variation 10 moves
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Ruy Lopez: Open (C82)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-open-5