- ECO code
- C78
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5
- Family
- Ruy Lopez
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 475
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1859–2026
Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation is the opening filed under ECO code C78, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5. It belongs to the Ruy Lopez family and is known as the Morphy Defense, Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 475 games on this line — the 220th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1859 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 222 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 29% of those games, 41% end in a draw, and Black wins 30%. That is close to the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%). Draws are more common here than usual, by 6 points.
From this position the most popular move is 7.a4, played in 226 games, followed by 7.c3 (190) and 7.d3 (36). After 7.a4 White scores 32% and Black 20%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Vachier Lagrave,M (29 games); on the Black side, Shirov,A (134).
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Results in master games
- White 29% (139)
- Draws 41% (195)
- Black 30% (141)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.a4 | 226 | 32/48/20 | — |
| 7.c3 | 190 | 28/38/34 | — |
| 7.d3 | 36 | 28/31/41 | — |
| 7.Nc3 | 12 | 25/8/67 | — |
| 7.Nxe5 | 10 | 0/10/90 | — |
| 7.Re1 | 1 | 100/0/0 | — |
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
- Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense · 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O · 5,861 games
Played most often by
As White
- Vachier Lagrave,M 29
- Hou Yifan 19
- Carlsen,M 15
As Black
- Shirov,A 134
- Caruana,F 65
- Aronian,L 21
Games per decade
- 1850s 1
- 1990s 34
- 2000s 100
- 2010s 118
- 2020s 222
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grischuk,A | Csonka,B | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 3rd Feb 2026 |
| Vachier Lagrave,M | Zhalmakhanov,Ramazan | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
| Carlsen,M | Duda,J | 0-1 | 2026 | Chess.com Open Playoffs |
| Grischuk,A | Weetik,V | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 9th Jun 2026 |
| Svanda,Ondrej | Shirov,A | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | TCh-CZE Extraliga 2025-26 |
| Wan Yunguo | Shirov,A | 0-1 | 2026 | FIDE World Rapid Team |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation?
It is the opening with ECO code C78, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O b5 6.Bb3 Bc5. It belongs to the Ruy Lopez family.
Is the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation good for White or for Black?
In 475 master games on this line White wins 29%, 41% are drawn and Black wins 30%. 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, Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation?
7.a4 — played in 226 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Neo-Arkhangelsk Variation?
On the White side Vachier Lagrave,M (29), Hou Yifan (19), Carlsen,M (15); on the Black side Shirov,A (134), Caruana,F (65), Aronian,L (21).
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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