Chess openings
174 chess openings, move by move.
Each page shows the opening's moves, the position on the board, and the replies players choose next at every rating from under 1200 to 2000 and up. The list covers the openings rated players on Lichess reach most often, plus famous gambits and systems. Within each group, openings are ordered by how often players reach them.
Openings by rating
Openings starting 1. e4
- King's Pawn Game1. e4
- King's Knight Opening1. e4 e5 2. Nf3
- Sicilian Defense1. e4 c5
- King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6
- French Defense1. e4 e6
- Scandinavian Defense1. e4 d5
- Philidor Defense1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6
- French Defense: Normal Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4
- Italian Game1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4
- Caro-Kann Defense1. e4 c6
- Bishop's Opening1. e4 e5 2. Bc4
- Ruy Lopez1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
- Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6
- Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6
- Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5
- Pirc Defense1. e4 d6
- King's Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4
- Center Game1. e4 e5 2. d4
- French Defense: Knight Variation1. e4 e6 2. Nf3
- Scotch Game1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4
- Modern Defense1. e4 g6
- Petrov's Defense1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6
- Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack1. e4 c5 2. Bc4
- Sicilian Defense: French Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6
- Sicilian Defense: Open1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4
- King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack1. e4 e5 2. Qh5
- Alekhine Defense1. e4 Nf6
- Center Game Accepted1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4
- Nimzowitsch Defense1. e4 Nc6
- Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6
- King's Gambit Accepted1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6
- Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main Line1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6
- Owen Defense1. e4 b6
- Vienna Game1. e4 e5 2. Nc3
- Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit1. e4 c5 2. d4
- Sicilian Defense: Closed1. e4 c5 2. Nc3
- King's Gambit Accepted: King's Knight's Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3
- Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
- Three Knights Opening1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3
- King's Pawn Game: Leonardis Variation1. e4 e5 2. d3
- Italian Game: Giuoco Piano1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5
- Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation1. e4 c5 2. c3
- French Defense: Advance Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5
- Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6
- Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack1. e4 c5 2. f4
- Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4
- Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6
- Alekhine Defense: Normal Variation1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5
- Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5
- French Defense: Paulsen Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
- French Defense: Exchange Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
- Scandinavian Defense: Main Line1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qa5
- Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4
- Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver Defense1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 h6
- Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
- Center Game: Normal Variation1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6
- Scandinavian Defense: Valencian Variation1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd8
- Four Knights Game1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6
- King's Pawn Game: Napoleon Attack1. e4 e5 2. Qf3
- Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3
- Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5
- Danish Gambit1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3
- Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5
- Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange Variation1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5
- Elephant Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d5
- Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6
- Ponziani Opening1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3
- French Defense: Tarrasch Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
- Sicilian Defense: Kan Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6
- Scotch Game: Classical Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5
- French Defense: Classical Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6
- Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4
- Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6
- St. George Defense1. e4 a6
- Sicilian Defense: Dragon Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6
- Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit1. e4 c5 2. b4
- Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. d3
- Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nd4
- French Defense: Winawer Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4
- Ruy Lopez: Closed1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7
- Latvian Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5
- Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6
- Caro-Kann Defense: Panov Attack1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. c4
- Sicilian Defense: Grand Prix Attack1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4
- Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6
- Italian Game: Evans Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4
- Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights Attack1. e4 c6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fried Liver Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7
- Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6
- Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4
- Caro-Kann Defense: Maróczy Variation1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. f3
- Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7
- Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 Bc5
- Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4
- Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5
- Caro-Kann Defense: Classical Variation1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5
- Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Sveshnikov Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Bg5 a6 8. Na3 b5
- Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. f4
- Scandinavian Defense: Portuguese Gambit1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. d4 Bg4
- Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nc6 6. Bg5
- Four Knights Game: Halloween Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe5
- Vienna Game: Frankenstein-Dracula Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4
- Hippopotamus Defense1. e4 Nh6
- Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6
- Bongcloud Attack1. e4 e5 2. Ke2
- Modern Defense: Pterodactyl Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Nc3 Qa5
Openings starting 1. d4
- Queen's Pawn Game1. d4
- Indian Defense1. d4 Nf6
- Queen's Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4
- Indian Defense: Normal Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4
- Horwitz Defense1. d4 e6
- Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation1. d4 d5 2. Nf3
- Queen's Gambit Declined1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6
- Slav Defense1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6
- Queen's Gambit Accepted1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4
- Indian Defense: Knights Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3
- Benoni Defense: Old Benoni1. d4 c5
- Indian Defense: West Indian Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6
- Queen's Pawn Game: Modern Defense1. d4 g6
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3
- Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation1. d4 d5 2. Nc3
- King's Indian Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3
- Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System1. d4 d5 2. Bf4
- Dutch Defense1. d4 f5
- Englund Gambit1. d4 e5
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6
- Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall Defense1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6
- Nimzo-Indian Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4
- Benoni Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5
- Indian Defense: Budapest Gambit1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5
- Old Indian Defense1. d4 d6 2. c4
- Trompowsky Attack1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5
- Grünfeld Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5
- Blackmar-Diemer Gambit1. d4 d5 2. e4
- Benko Gambit1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 b5
- Queen's Pawn Game: Colle System1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3
- Slav Defense: Exchange Variation1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. cxd5
- Queen's Indian Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6
- King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3
- Nimzo-Indian Defense: Rubinstein System1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3
- Benoni Defense: Modern Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6
- Rapport-Jobava System1. d4 d5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bf4
- King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2
- Tarrasch Defense1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5
- Semi-Slav Defense1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6
- Catalan Opening1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3
- Bogo-Indian Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+
- Queen's Pawn Game: Torre Attack1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bg5
- London System1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Exchange Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4
- Dutch Defense: Leningrad Variation1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 g6
- Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7
- Dutch Defense: Stonewall Variation1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. O-O d5
Openings starting 1. Nf3
Openings starting 1. c4
Openings starting 1. e3
Openings starting 1. g3
Openings starting 1. f4
Openings starting 1. b4
Openings starting 1. Nc3
Openings starting 1. b3
Openings starting 1. d3
Openings starting 1. g4
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