Caissa Codex
C79

Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense Deferred, Boleslavsky Variation

Chess diagram: Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense Deferred, Boleslavsky Variation after 10. Nc3

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Statistics from Lichess

7 games: White 42.9% / Draw 0.0% / Black 57.1%

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Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
55
11
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 13, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.27 The position is about equal

Best play: 10... Bb4 11. Nd4 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxc3 13. Qh5+ g6 14. Qh6 Qe7 15. Bg5

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense Deferred, Boleslavsky Variation (ECO C79, Open Games) is a variation of the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Steinitz Deferred, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. Bxc6+ bxc6 7. d4 Nxe4 8. Re1 f5 9. dxe5 d5 10. Nc3 (10 moves).

In 7 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 42.9%, Black 57.1% and 0.0% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 10…Bc5, in 71% of those games. That is too few games for the percentages to mean much.

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Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense Deferred, Boleslavsky Variation (C79)”. Lichess data as of 13 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-steinitz-defense-deferred-boleslavsky-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/ruy-lopez-steinitz-defense-deferred-boleslavsky-variation