Chess openings

By Chessvia · Updated Oct 28, 2026

A chess opening is the first phase of the game, when both sides develop their pieces, fight for the center and get the king safe.

Pick an opening for White by the kind of game you want, and pick a defense as Black by what White plays first, because a defense to 1.e4 does not answer 1.d4.

1.e4 openings: White's choices and Black's defenses

14 openings

For White

Italian Game187 lines1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4Quick development, the bishop aimed at f7, then the fight for d4.
White 50%Draws 4%Black 46%
839,438 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Ruy Lopez235 lines1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5The bishop pressures the knight that defends e5.
White 51%Draws 4%Black 45%
420,520 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Scotch Game53 lines1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4Hits e5 at once with d4 for early central contact.
White 52%Draws 4%Black 44%
458,715 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Ponziani Opening16 lines1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3c3 prepares d4, but takes the knight's best square.
White 50%Draws 4%Black 46%
85,200 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Vienna Game41 lines1.e4 e5 2.Nc3Knight first, keeping the f-pawn and king's knight choices open.
White 51%Draws 4%Black 45%
473,797 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
King's Gambit191 lines1.e4 e5 2.f4Offers the f-pawn to break e5 and open attacking lines.
White 51%Draws 3%Black 46%
436,331 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

Against 1.e4

Caro-Kann Defense110 lines1.e4 c6Supports ...d5 with the c-pawn and keeps the light bishop free.
White 48%Draws 4%Black 48%
1,635,111 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Sicilian Defense400 lines1.e4 c5Fights for d4 from the wing for an unbalanced game.
White 49%Draws 4%Black 47%
3,158,607 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
- Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation33 lines1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6Open Sicilian with 5...a6, keeping options and queenside play.
  White 47%Draws 4%Black 49%
  67,913 games
  Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
- Sicilian Defense: Accelerated Dragon43 lines1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6Open Sicilian with the bishop fianchettoed on g7.
  White 49%Draws 4%Black 47%
  6,406 games
  Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
French Defense212 lines1.e4 e6...e6 and ...d5, then ...c5 against White's pawn chain.
White 48%Draws 4%Black 48%
1,885,980 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Scandinavian Defense45 lines1.e4 d5Hits e4 at once with ...d5, then wins the pawn back.
White 48%Draws 4%Black 48%
1,967,994 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Pirc Defense28 lines1.e4 d6Lets White build the center, then attacks it from g7.
White 49%Draws 4%Black 47%
725,444 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Alekhine Defense56 lines1.e4 Nf6The knight attacks e4 and invites White's pawns forward.
White 48%Draws 4%Black 48%
290,998 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

1.d4 openings: White's choices and Black's defenses

9 openings

For White

Queen's Gambit275 lines1.d4 d5 2.c4c4 attacks Black's d5 pawn from the side.
White 52%Draws 4%Black 44%
1,165,562 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
London System8 lines1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4Bishop to f4 before e3, then a compact, repeatable setup.
White 49%Draws 4%Black 47%
15,810 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Catalan Opening32 lines1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3A d4 and c4 center with the bishop fianchettoed on g2.
White 52%Draws 5%Black 44%
4,178 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

Against 1.d4

Slav Defense52 lines1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6Supports d5 with ...c6 against the Queen's Gambit; the bishop stays free.
White 51%Draws 5%Black 45%
240,339 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Nimzo-Indian Defense104 lines1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4Pins the c3 knight with ...Bb4 to fight for the center.
White 49%Draws 4%Black 47%
59,564 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation119 lines1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3Fianchetto, let White take the center, then strike back.
White 50%Draws 5%Black 45%
2,750 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Grünfeld Defense59 lines1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5A fianchetto setup that hits White's center at once with ...d5.
White 46%Draws 5%Black 49%
27,178 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Dutch Defense69 lines1.d4 f5...f5 claims e4 early, at some cost to king cover.
White 50%Draws 4%Black 46%
172,073 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
Old Benoni Defense66 lines1.d4 c5...c5 gives White space on d5 in return for counterplay.
White 48%Draws 3%Black 48%
365,968 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

English Opening: 1.c4

1 opening

For White

English Opening176 lines1.c41.c4 hits d5 from the flank; the center comes later.
White 51%Draws 4%Black 45%
978,136 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

Réti Opening: 1.Nf3

1 opening

For White

Réti Opening43 lines1.Nf3 d5 2.c4Knight first; the central pawns wait for Black's reply.
White 53%Draws 4%Black 43%
47,975 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

Play the first moves of a chess opening

Open the board and play a first move, or pick one of the moves offered. When the moves reach a named opening, a link opens its own page.

Open the board

Choose a line

Starting position

Starting position

White’s choices

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 · Italian Game
White 50%Draws 4%Black 46%
839,438 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 · Ruy Lopez
White 51%Draws 4%Black 45%
420,520 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 · Scotch Game
White 52%Draws 4%Black 44%
458,715 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 · Ponziani Opening
White 50%Draws 4%Black 46%
85,200 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 · Vienna Game
White 51%Draws 4%Black 45%
473,797 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 e5 2.f4 · King's Gambit
White 51%Draws 3%Black 46%
436,331 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.d4 d5 2.c4 · Queen's Gambit
White 52%Draws 4%Black 44%
1,165,562 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.Bf4 · London System
White 49%Draws 4%Black 47%
15,810 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 · Catalan Opening
White 52%Draws 5%Black 44%
4,178 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.c4 · English Opening
White 51%Draws 4%Black 45%
978,136 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 · Réti Opening
White 53%Draws 4%Black 43%
47,975 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 c6 · Caro-Kann Defense
White 48%Draws 4%Black 48%
1,635,111 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

More choices

1.e4 c5 · Sicilian Defense
White 49%Draws 4%Black 47%
3,158,607 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 e6 · French Defense
White 48%Draws 4%Black 48%
1,885,980 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 d5 · Scandinavian Defense
White 48%Draws 4%Black 48%
1,967,994 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 d6 · Pirc Defense
White 49%Draws 4%Black 47%
725,444 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.e4 Nf6 · Alekhine Defense
White 48%Draws 4%Black 48%
290,998 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 · Slav Defense
White 51%Draws 5%Black 45%
240,339 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 · Nimzo-Indian Defense
White 49%Draws 4%Black 47%
59,564 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 · King's Indian Defense, Fianchetto Variation
White 50%Draws 5%Black 45%
2,750 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 · Grünfeld Defense
White 46%Draws 5%Black 49%
27,178 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.d4 f5 · Dutch Defense
White 50%Draws 4%Black 46%
172,073 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds
1.d4 c5 · Old Benoni Defense
White 48%Draws 3%Black 48%
365,968 games
Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

Games: Lichess open database (CC0), September 2026, all standard rated speeds, 1600 to 1999, fetched Oct 25, 2026

Open this position in the next move calculator

Questions players ask

What is the best chess opening for a beginner?

No single opening is best, and no shared measure ranks them. Choose by the position you are willing to learn. As White, the Italian teaches fast development in an open game, the Queen's Gambit teaches pressure on Black's d5 pawn, and the London gives you a setup you can repeat. As Black, you need one answer to 1.e4 and one to 1.d4. Whatever you pick, the opening's job stays the same: develop your pieces, fight for the center and get your king safe.

Openings for White

Which openings do club players play most?

In September 2026 Lichess games between players both rated 1600 to 1999, White opened 1.e4 in 16,382,935 of 28,765,986 games, 57%, and 1.d4 in 7,707,455, 27%. Against 1.e4, Black's most common replies were 1...e5 (5,273,326 games), the Sicilian 1...c5 (3,158,607), the Scandinavian 1...d5 (1,967,994), the French 1...e6 (1,885,980) and the Caro-Kann 1...c6 (1,635,111). Against 1.d4, 1...d5 came up in 3,066,522 games and 1...Nf6 in 1,376,843. How often an opening is played tells you what you will meet, not which one is best for you.

Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

Defenses to 1.e4

How many openings should I learn?

Start with three: one opening as White, one defense to 1.e4 and one to 1.d4, because a Black defense depends on White's first move. Those two first moves cover most of what you will face: at 1600 to 1999 on Lichess in September 2026, 1.e4 and 1.d4 opened 84% of games.

Lichess, 1600 to 1999, September 2026, all speeds

Defenses to 1.d4

How many chess openings are there?

The total depends on whether you count opening families, named variations or move sequences. This directory covers 25 selected openings and variations, grouped by first move.

Can I play the same defense against 1.e4 and 1.d4?

Usually not under the same name. The Caro-Kann, 1...c6, is a defense to 1.e4; against 1.d4 d5 2.c4, the move 2...c6 is the Slav Defense, a different opening with its own plans. An opening name stands for a move order, so learn each defense against the move it answers.

Slav Defense