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Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation

39K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.0%

45%60%
Floor53.5%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.4%.

Measured over 39K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 4.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 39K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
39K
Best context
57.4% at 2000-2199 Rapid
Worst context
50.2% at 2000-2199 Bullet
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
95.4%
Draws
4.6%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Where it holds · White score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 62.7% at 0-999, 55.6% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999——
1000-1199—
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999—
2000-2199—
2200-2499—
2500+——

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 60.2% expected score (195 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 60.9% expected score (160 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 66.9% expected score (40 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 57.2% expected score (673 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (759 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (186 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 55.6% expected score (1,144 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.6% expected score (1,931 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.9% expected score (510 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 26.2% expected score (9 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (1,461 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 55.4% expected score (3,214 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (1,068 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 65.5% expected score (47 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.5% expected score (1,580 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 54.0% expected score (4,764 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (1,695 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.6% expected score (103 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.5% expected score (1,737 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (5,084 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.2% expected score (2,057 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.3% expected score (116 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (1,284 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (3,819 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 57.4% expected score (1,236 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 53.6% expected score (54 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 54.7% expected score (1,211 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.5% expected score (2,043 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 58.5% expected score (465 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 58.2% expected score (406 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 52.0% expected score (204 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 56.5% expected score (14 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Ruy Lopez
51.9%
Variations (5)
Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense
51.2%
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense
49.9%
Ruy Lopez: Classical Variation
48.7%
Ruy Lopez: Bird Variation
49.9%
Ruy Lopez: Cozio Defense
49.9%
Continuations (1)
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation, Short Attack
50.1%
Analyze Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation scores 54.0% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.5% and 54.4% — from 39K Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
39K+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate?

Playing the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation, White wins 51.6%, draws 4.6% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 39K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation perform best?

The Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation performs best for White at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 61.2% (395 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 54.0% in Blitz (22K games) against 54.2% in Rapid (7.3K games).

How sharp is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation?

The Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation has a sharpness score of 95.4 (very decisive), meaning 95.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 59.1%, draws 4.2% and loses 36.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 61.2%. It rests on 395 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 53.1%, draws 2.7% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 53.0%, draws 2.8% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 3.6K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.8%, draws 3.3% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 5.8K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 51.2%, draws 4.5% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 8.1K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.6%, draws 5.2% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 9.0K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.6%, draws 5.5% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 6.4K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 51.7%, draws 6.7% and loses 41.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.1%. It rests on 3.7K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 53.6%, draws 5.0% and loses 41.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.2%. It rests on 624 Lichess games, which average 45 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.4%, draws 2.9% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 9.7K Lichess games.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 51.6%, draws 4.8% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 22K Lichess games.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 51.1%, draws 6.2% and loses 42.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.2%. It rests on 7.3K Lichess games.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 46.9%, draws 10.0% and loses 43.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 332 Lichess games.

Is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation a good opening?

The Ruy Lopez: Closed, Yates Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.6% of its games and loses 43.7%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.