Tree path 5 levels King's Pawn Game › King's Knight Opening › Normal Variation › Ruy Lopez › Steinitz Defense
- Caissa Codex
- King's Pawn Game C20
- King's Knight Opening C40
- Normal Variation C44
- Ruy Lopez C60
- Steinitz Defense C62 you are here
Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense
Overview
Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense is a specific line in the Open Games family (ECO C62), arising from a recognised theoretical position.
The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.
It is reached after 6 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6.
The line refines Ruy Lopez, which traces back to the root opening King's Pawn Game.
It continues primarily into one named line, Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense.
In total, the branch covers 5 sub-variations across all depths.
Explore the position on the interactive board, study its real-world results from Lichess, and challenge the engine when you are ready.
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
12,935,014 games · White 53.2% / Draw 5.1% / Black 41.6%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| d4 | 3,699,080 | |
| O-O | 3,220,537 | |
| Bxc6+ | 2,199,676 | |
| c3 | 1,533,073 | |
| h3 | 1,137,902 | |
| Nc3 | 629,749 | |
| d3 | 410,516 | |
| a3 | 23,743 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:28:00
Write a description
Markdown supported (headings ###, bold, lists, links).
Submissions are reviewed before publishing.