Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack

31K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
6.Bxc6
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.6%

45%60%
Floor54.1%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 55.1%.

Measured over 31K 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 5.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 31K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
31K
Best context
57.1% at 1200-1399 Rapid
Worst context
51.2% at 1200-1399 Bullet
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
94.3%
Draws
5.7%

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 holds about the same all the way up, near 47.8%.

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, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (482 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (794 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 53.6% expected score (251 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 61.1% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 55.4% expected score (948 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 54.1% expected score (1,719 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (761 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (1,220 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 54.7% expected score (2,836 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 57.1% expected score (1,373 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 69.3% expected score (27 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 81.6% expected score (8 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 57.0% expected score (1,307 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.7% expected score (3,793 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 55.2% expected score (1,879 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 57.9% expected score (106 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (964 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (3,320 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 54.7% expected score (1,981 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 53.6% expected score (167 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.8% expected score (878 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 54.5% expected score (2,131 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.4% expected score (1,134 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 65.2% expected score (71 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (634 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 56.6% expected score (907 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 57.1% expected score (394 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 56.5% expected score (376 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 57.4% expected score (394 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 72.5% expected score (101 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 56.1% expected score (245 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 68.3% expected score (86 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 35.7% expected score (2 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%
Analyze Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack scores 54.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 54.1% and 55.1% — from 31K 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
31K+ 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: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate?

Playing the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack, White wins 51.7%, draws 5.7% and loses 42.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 31K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack perform best?

The Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack performs best for White at 2200-2499, with an Expected Score of 58.9% (873 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 54.4% in Blitz (16K games) against 55.4% in Rapid (7.9K games).

How sharp is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack?

The Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack has a sharpness score of 94.3 (decisive), meaning 94.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 49.4%, draws 4.8% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 51.7%, draws 5.3% and loses 43.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 3.4K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 52.0%, draws 5.2% and loses 42.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 5.5K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.4%, draws 5.8% and loses 41.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.3%. It rests on 7.1K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.8%, draws 5.5% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 6.4K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 51.3%, draws 6.3% and loses 42.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 4.2K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 51.9%, draws 6.8% and loses 41.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.3%. It rests on 1.9K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 54.5%, draws 8.7% and loses 36.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.9%. It rests on 873 Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 55.3%, draws 7.3% and loses 37.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.0%. It rests on 334 Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.0%, draws 3.7% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 7.1K Lichess games.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 51.3%, draws 6.1% and loses 42.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 16K Lichess games.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 52.0%, draws 6.7% and loses 41.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 7.9K Lichess games.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 54.0%, draws 9.0% and loses 37.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.5%. It rests on 394 Lichess games.

Is the Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack a good opening?

The Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.7% of its games and loses 42.6%. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.