Ruy Lopez: Pollock Defense
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Statistics from Lichess
5,511 games: White 69.1% / Draw 3.3% / Black 27.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,6671,667 | ||
| 1,4211,421 | ||
| 565565 | ||
| 554554 | ||
| 365365 | ||
| 363363 | ||
| 355355 | ||
| 114114 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
+1.52 White is clearly better
Best play: 4. c3 Nf6 5. Nxe5 Be7 6. d3 O-O 7. Ba4 c5 8. O-O d5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Ruy Lopez: Pollock Defense (ECO C60, Open Games) is a variation of the Ruy Lopez, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Na5 (3 moves).
In 5,511 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 69.1%, Black 27.6% and 3.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. O-O, in 30% 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: Pollock Defense
4. c3 scores best for White: 74.8%, with White winning 73.8% and Black 24.2% of 565 games. The most played, 4. O-O, scores 74.5% in 1,667 games, and 4. b4 scores lowest: 59.2%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4. c3.
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: Pollock Defense (C60)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-pollock-defense