Chess openings by rating

Chess Openings for Players Rated 1800–1999

In rated Lichess games, players rated 1800–1999 open with 1.e4 59% of the time. Against 1.e4 their most common reply is 1...e5 (30%), and against 1.d4 it is 1...d5 (36%). Below are the openings this level reaches most, and the ones it plays noticeably more or less than other levels.

The first moves

White's first move

  1. 1. e459%
  2. 1. d428%
  3. 1. c45%
  4. 1. Nf34%

Black against 1.e4

  1. 1... e530%
  2. 1... c529%
  3. 1... e613%
  4. 1... c68%

Black against 1.d4

  1. 1... d536%
  2. 1... Nf632%
  3. 1... e610%
  4. 1... c54%

The openings players rated 1800–1999 reach most

The share of this level's games that follow each opening's moves in order. Longer lines are part of shorter ones, so the shares overlap.

  1. Sicilian Defense1. e4 c5 · 17.1% of games
  2. King's Knight Opening1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 · 11.3% of games
  3. Indian Defense1. d4 Nf6 · 9% of games
  4. King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 · 8.2% of games
  5. French Defense1. e4 e6 · 7.6% of games
  6. Queen's Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 · 5.9% of games
  7. Indian Defense: Normal Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 · 5.3% of games
  8. Caro-Kann Defense1. e4 c6 · 4.9% of games
  9. French Defense: Normal Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4 · 4.4% of games
  10. Scandinavian Defense1. e4 d5 · 4.3% of games
  11. Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 · 4.2% of games
  12. Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 · 3.4% of games
  13. Italian Game1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 · 3% of games
  14. Ruy Lopez1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 · 2.9% of games
  15. Horwitz Defense1. d4 e6 · 2.7% of games

Played more at this level

Openings this level reaches clearly more often than the average across all six rating groups.

  1. Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense1% of games here, 0.5% across all ratings
  2. King's Indian Defense1.6% of games here, 0.8% across all ratings
  3. Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation1.6% of games here, 0.8% across all ratings
  4. Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack1.3% of games here, 0.7% across all ratings
  5. Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation1.3% of games here, 0.7% across all ratings
  6. Indian Defense: West Indian Defense1.8% of games here, 0.9% across all ratings

Played less at this level

Openings this level reaches clearly less often than the average across all six rating groups.

  1. Van't Kruijs Opening0.6% of games here, 2.1% across all ratings
  2. Philidor Defense1.6% of games here, 3.2% across all ratings
  3. Bishop's Opening1.4% of games here, 2.8% across all ratings
  4. Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense0.5% of games here, 1% across all ratings
  5. Vienna Game0.5% of games here, 1% across all ratings
  6. Three Knights Opening0.5% of games here, 0.9% across all ratings

Openings by rating

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