Ruy Lopez: Closed Main Line
ECO C84-C99advanced
The Closed Spanish — reached after 3...a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 — is the deepest maneuvering complex in chess, 'the chess of the future' according to generations of world champions who all played both sides. White builds the d4 center and begins the legendary knight tour Nb1-d2-f1-g3; Black chooses a regrouping philosophy: the Chigorin's ...Na5 and ...c5, the Breyer's paradoxical ...Nb8-d7, or the Zaitsev's sharp ...Bb7 and ...Re8. Every plan, every square matters for thirty moves.
Main line
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6
Diagram shows the position after 6 half-moves of the main line. On SpeakChess you can drill this line move by move — the trainer plays the other side and corrects you instantly, then spaced repetition schedules each variation so you review it right before you would forget it.
Win rates by rating
Results from real online games, measured after the line shown in each row. Most opening sites show one aggregate number — how an opening scores depends heavily on who is playing it.
| Rating | Games | White wins | Draws | Black wins | Position after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 400-600 | 41 | 36.6% | 7.3% | 56.1% | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 |
| 600-800 | 38 | 44.7% | 2.6% | 52.6% | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O |
| 800-1000 | 293 | 39.9% | 1.4% | 58.7% | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O |
| 1000-1200 | 43 | 55.8% | 2.3% | 41.9% | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 |
| 1200-1400 | 168 | 55.4% | 2.4% | 42.3% | 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 |
Most played continuations (800-1000 rating)
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O:
- b5 — played 32.4% of the time (White wins 36.8%, draws 0%, Black wins 63.2%)
- Nxe4 — played 28% of the time (White wins 43.9%, draws 1.2%, Black wins 54.9%)
- Bc5 — played 19.5% of the time (White wins 47.4%, draws 0%, Black wins 52.6%)
Related openings
Frequently asked questions
What is the point of the famous Nb1-d2-f1-g3 maneuver?
The knight is heading to its dream squares — f5 or g3-h5 hitting the kingside — without blocking the c3/d4 pawn center or the e1 rook. This three-move tour, executed while the center stays in tension, is the Closed Spanish's signature: slow in tempo, maximal in purpose.
Which Black system should I learn first in the Closed Spanish?
The Chigorin (...Na5 hitting the b3 bishop, then ...c5) teaches the structure's logic most directly: queenside space against central tension. The Breyer rewards deeper positional patience and is today's elite favorite; the Zaitsev demands the most concrete theory. All three are sound — the choice is temperament.
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