Chess Openings Lab
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Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, King's Bishop Variation

The King's Bishop Variation is 4...dxc6 5.O-O Bd6, where Black protects e5 with the dark bishop. White wants to open the center with d4 or reroute the knight to c4, while Black develops with ...Ne7 and ...f6 and keeps the bishop pair.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O Bd6
ECO
C69
Engine
+0.06 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
755 games in our lichess sample
White scores
57.2%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Play d4 at once and meet ...exd4 with Qxd4, as in the main engine line.
  • Na3 and Nc4 target the d6 bishop and can win the bishop pair.
  • Re1 supports e4 and prepares d4 with more central control and a later Be3.

Black

  • Develop the knight to e7 so that ...f6 and castling can come quickly.
  • Use ...Be6 and ...Bg4 to develop the light bishop actively and pressure f3.
  • Answer Na3 with ...Bxa3 to double White's a-pawns, as in the second engine line.

Plans and pawn structure

After d4 and ...exd4, the game opens up and both sides develop quickly. White's queen on d4 and bishop on e3 point at the center, while Black has the bishop pair and plays ...f6, ...Be6 and ...Ne7. White aims for a kingside majority endgame. In the Na3 line, Black trades on a3 and White gets doubled a-pawns but open lines. Both sides need accurate development, since the center can open suddenly.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.06: level. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.06 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 f6 8.Be3 Be6
  2. −0.03 6.Na3 Bxa3 7.bxa3 Bg4 8.h3 Bxf3
  3. −0.13 6.Re1 f6 7.d4 Ne7 8.Be3 O-O

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

755 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 57.2%.

under 120051.7%
1200–159957.2%
1600–199953.6%
2000 and up72.2%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

As White, push d4 at once or try Na3 and Nc4 against the d6 bishop. Do not let Black's two bishops settle in. As Black, develop the knight to e7, then play ...f6 and castle, keeping the center solid and the bishops ready for open lines.

Questions

What are the moves of the Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, King's Bishop Variation?

The Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, King's Bishop Variation starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.O-O Bd6. Its ECO code is C69.

Is the Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, King's Bishop Variation good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.06 at depth 20, which is level. In 755 lichess games from our sample, White scored 57.2%. A solid choice for Black that keeps the bishop pair; White needs active plans like d4 or Na3 to show an edge.

What is the main idea of the Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, King's Bishop Variation?

Black defends e5 with the bishop on d6 and develops the knight to e7. White opens the center with d4 or targets the bishop with Na3 and Nc4.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is d4, with Na3 and Re1 close behind. 6.d4 opens the center at once and prepares Qxd4 after ...exd4.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.