- ECO code
- C77
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3
- Family
- Ruy Lopez
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 535
- Average game length
- 47 moves
- Years covered
- 1858–2026
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation is the opening filed under ECO code C77, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3. It belongs to the Ruy Lopez family and is known as the Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 535 games on this line — the 199th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1858 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 262 games. An average game here lasts 47 moves.
White wins 41% of those games, 30% end in a draw, and Black wins 29%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are less common here than usual, by 5 points.
From this position the most popular move is 5...d6, played in 227 games, followed by 5...b5 (198) and 5...Bc5 (108). After 5...d6 White scores 42% and Black 28%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Carlsen,M (44 games); on the Black side, Mamedyarov,S (35).
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Results in master games
- White 41% (220)
- Draws 30% (162)
- Black 29% (153)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5...d6 | 227 | 42/30/28 | — |
| 5...b5 | 198 | 42/29/29 | — |
| 5...Bc5 | 108 | 38/33/29 | — |
| 5...Bd6 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
| 5...Be7 | 1 | 0/100/0 | — |
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
Played most often by
As White
- Carlsen,M 44
- Caruana,F 33
- Nakamura,Hi 29
As Black
- Mamedyarov,S 35
- Shirov,A 26
- Caruana,F 23
Games per decade
- 1850s 2
- 1860s 7
- 1870s 10
- 1880s 3
- 1890s 5
- 1900s 9
- 1910s 4
- 1920s 12
- 1930s 7
- 1940s 14
- 1950s 5
- 1960s 9
- 1970s 5
- 1980s 6
- 1990s 7
- 2000s 55
- 2010s 113
- 2020s 262
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rapport,R | Ding Liren | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Nakamura,Hi | Kollars,Dmitrij | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 8th Jan 2026 |
| Niemann,Hans Moke | Anand,V | 0-1 | 2026 | Tata Steel India Rapid |
| Carlsen,M | Lazavik,Denis | 1-0 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Firouzja,Alireza | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | SpeedChess Final 2025 |
| So,W | Sevian,Samuel | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code C77, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3. It belongs to the Ruy Lopez family.
Is the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation good for White or for Black?
In 535 master games on this line White wins 41%, 30% are drawn and Black wins 29%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation?
5...d6 — played in 227 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Anderssen Variation?
On the White side Carlsen,M (44), Caruana,F (33), Nakamura,Hi (29); on the Black side Mamedyarov,S (35), Shirov,A (26), Caruana,F (23).
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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