Starting from 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 d6, players enter the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Averbakh Variation — ECO C87. Lichess records 235,019 games in this line, which gives us a reliable view of how it actually performs in practice.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Ruy Lopez, Closed Defense. Among the most prolific White practitioners are Emanuel Lasker (10 games), Paul Keres (9 games), Frederick Yates (9 games). Black-side regulars include Oleg M Romanishin (41 games), Arshak B Petrosian (23 games), Dawid Markelowicz Janowski (14 games).
Performance Across Rating Levels
Popularity and results vary sharply by rating level. The 1200 bracket has 8,716 games (0.00% of all games at that level); White wins 52.8%, Black 43.6%, 3.6% are drawn. At 1800 the opening surfaces in 0.01% of games; White wins 53.7%, Black 41.2%, draws 5.1%. Among 2500-rated players the line appears in 0.01% of games and draws spike to 9.2%, indicating tight preparation. White's edge erodes by 9.6pp from 1200 to 2500 Elo, suggesting Black's counterplay is easier to find with experience.
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Looking at move selection shows how forcing — or not — the position really is. At 1200 Elo (8,716 games), the top reply is c3, played 57.9% of the time. Two other moves each take at least 5% of games, and the top three moves account for 87.6% of games. Entropy: 1.92. By 2500 (1,220 games), c3 dominates at 73.4% of replies; three other moves reach 5% and the top three moves account for 86.8% of games. Entropy drops to 1.49.
Common Mistakes
- Drifting away from main theory — At 400 Elo, the three most-played moves cover 77.9% of games, against 94.7% at 2000. The most popular deviation is d4 (played 16.2% of the time at 400, much less so up top). It looks fine but quietly hands the better-prepared side an edge.
- Neglecting development — It can feel productive to make extra pawn moves early, but falling behind in piece development is what loses most amateur games — especially in open positions where active pieces find squares fast.
- Playing without a plan — Each Ruy Lopez: Closed, Averbakh Variation middlegame demands a specific approach. Decide whether the position calls for attack, manoeuvre, or simplification before reaching for a move.
Practice on Chessiverse
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