Chess Openings Lab
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Ruy Lopez: Lucena Variation

The Lucena Variation is 3...Be7 in the Ruy Lopez, where Black develops the dark bishop modestly to e7. White plays for a central edge with castling, Nc3 or c3 and d4, while Black keeps a compact but passive setup and looks for ...f5 or ...d6.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Be7
ECO
C60
Engine
+0.37 · a slight edge for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
171 games in our lichess sample
White scores
55.0%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Castle and trade on c6, as in the main engine line, then take on e5 when it works.
  • Nc3, castling and d4 give White a large central edge and easy development.
  • Answer ...f5 with d4 and Nxe5, opening the center against the black king.

Black

  • After Bxc6 and Nxe5, regain the pawn with ...Qd4, hitting the knight and e4.
  • Develop with ...Nf6, ...d6 and castling for a compact Steinitz-like setup.
  • Against c3, consider ...f5 to hit the e4 pawn and open the f-file.

Plans and pawn structure

White gains space with d4 and develops easily. Black's bishop on e7 is safe but passive, so Black needs ...d6 or ...f5 to gain room. If White trades on c6 and takes e5, Black uses ...Qd4 to regain the pawn with an active queen. In slower lines, White plays Re1 and d4 for central control, while Black castles and regroups with ...Bf6 or ...Bd7.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +0.37: a slight edge for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +0.37 4.O-O a6 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nxe5 Qd4
  2. +0.35 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.O-O d6 6.d4 exd4
  3. +0.29 4.c3 f5 5.d4 fxe4 6.Nxe5 Nxe5

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

171 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 55.0%.

1200–159951.7%
1600–199961.0%

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

How to play against it

As White, castle and push d4 for a central edge. Before grabbing on e5 after Bxc6, remember that ...Qd4 regains the pawn. As Black, develop with ...Nf6 and ...d6 and castle; avoid an early ...f5 unless you know the lines.

Questions

What are the moves of the Ruy Lopez: Lucena Variation?

The Ruy Lopez: Lucena Variation starts 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Be7. Its ECO code is C60.

Is the Ruy Lopez: Lucena Variation good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +0.37 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for White. A quiet choice for Black players who like solid setups; White gets an easy space edge.

What is the main idea of the Ruy Lopez: Lucena Variation?

Black develops the bishop to e7 for a solid but passive game. White uses castling and d4 for central space, while Black regains any lost pawn with ...Qd4 tricks.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is O-O, with Nc3 and c3 close behind. 4.O-O castles and prepares Bxc6 and Nxe5, though ...Qd4 regains the pawn.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.