- ECO code
- C84
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3
- Family
- Ruy Lopez
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 608
- Average game length
- 48 moves
- Years covered
- 1905–2026
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Martinez Variation is the opening filed under ECO code C84, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3. It belongs to the Ruy Lopez family and is known as the Closed, Martinez Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 608 games on this line — the 183rd most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1905 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 305 games. An average game here lasts 48 moves.
White wins 38% of those games, 42% end in a draw, and Black wins 20%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 8 percentage points. Draws are more common here than usual, by 7 points.
From this position the most popular move is 6...b5, played in 491 games, followed by 6...d6 (117). After 6...b5 White scores 38% and Black 19%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Vachier Lagrave,M (67 games); on the Black side, Aronian,L (57).
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Results in master games
- White 38% (232)
- Draws 42% (257)
- Black 20% (119)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6...b5 | 491 | 38/43/19 | — |
| 6...d6 | 117 | 37/42/21 | — |
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 e5 · 24,632 games
- King's Knight Opening · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 · 21,895 games
- King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 · 19,295 games
- Ruy Lopez · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 · 12,516 games
- Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 · 8,064 games
- Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O · 5,861 games
- Ruy Lopez: Closed · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 · 3,942 games
Played most often by
As White
- Vachier Lagrave,M 67
- Nepomniachtchi,I 45
- Carlsen,M 44
As Black
- Aronian,L 57
- Ding Liren 40
- Carlsen,M 39
Games per decade
- 1900s 1
- 1940s 1
- 1950s 3
- 1960s 3
- 1990s 1
- 2000s 37
- 2010s 257
- 2020s 305
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nepomniachtchi,I | Esipenko,Andrey | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Feb 2026 |
| Vokhidov,Shamsiddin | Vachier Lagrave,M | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 17th Mar 2026 |
| Erdogmus,Yagiz Kaan | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 31st Sigeman & Co 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | Lodici,Lorenzo | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 27th Jan 2026 |
| Vachier Lagrave,M | Liang,Awonder | 0-1 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team 5-8th |
| Niemann,Hans Moke | Gukesh,D | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 88th Tata Steel Masters |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Martinez Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code C84, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.d3. It belongs to the Ruy Lopez family.
Is the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Martinez Variation good for White or for Black?
In 608 master games on this line White wins 38%, 42% are drawn and Black wins 20%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Martinez Variation?
6...b5 — played in 491 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Ruy Lopez: Closed, Martinez Variation?
On the White side Vachier Lagrave,M (67), Nepomniachtchi,I (45), Carlsen,M (44); on the Black side Aronian,L (57), Ding Liren (40), Carlsen,M (39).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
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