Current position
Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The Ruy Lopez starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 and is catalogued under ECO C60, in the open games & french half of the book. The catalog indexes 234 lines inside it, grouped into 200 named variations, and the position after those moves has 1 playable continuation to walk from here.
Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.
Current setup
Move ideas
Claims the center with a pawn and opens lines for the queen and king’s bishop.
Idea: Build quick development and make early castling possible.
Meets White’s center directly and opens lines for Black’s queen and bishop.
Idea: Fight for equal central space in a balanced, open position.
Develops the king’s knight and attacks Black’s e5-pawn.
Idea: Increase central pressure while getting ready to castle.
Defends e5 while developing the queen’s knight toward the center.
Idea: Hold the central pawn and keep several classical setups available.
Develops the bishop and pressures the knight that helps defend e5.
Idea: Create long-term pressure on Black’s center before deciding whether to exchange.
Advances the a-pawn to gain queenside edge space and control new squares.
Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.
Captures the knight on c6 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Captures the bishop on c6 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the queenside and reshape the center for the next phase.
Advances to d4 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.
Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.
Captures the pawn on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Open lines in the center and reshape the center for the next phase.
Captures the pawn on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Captures the queen on d4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.
Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.
Waiting for Lichess game popularity.
Each line below is an indexed entry under Ruy Lopez. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.
176 more named lines sit inside this family — the tree above walks all of them.
ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the Ruy Lopez.