Chess openings for beginners
By Chessvia · Updated Nov 13, 2026
The easiest chess openings for beginners are the London System, the Italian Game and the Scotch Game with White, and the Caro-Kann Defense and the Slav Defense with Black.
Each one asks for the same plan: push a center pawn two squares, bring out your knights and bishops, castle by move 10 and keep every piece protected. Pick one setup for each first move and play it for months.
This page is for players rated about 1000 to 1399 who are choosing a first opening. Every number below comes from 14,605,077 Lichess games between players in those two bands, played in September 2026, and each is shown for the rating you play at.
Beginner chess in six numbers
- White scores 54.2% with the London System at 1000 to 1199, in 182,913 Lichess games from September 2026.
- 29.9% of games at 1000 to 1199 end in checkmate, against 20.6% at 2200 and up, where 37.6% end on the clock.
- Scholar's Mate ended 12.09 of every 10,000 games at 1000 to 1199, about 42 times the rate at 2200 and up (0.29).
- 6.8% of games at 1000 to 1199 are over by move 9, and the average game lasts 29.1 moves.
- Players at 1000 to 1199 blunder 2.17 times per game in analysed games, against 1.36 at 2200 and up.
- 40.3% of White players at 1000 to 1199 castle by move 10, and 29.1% never castle; at 2200 and up it is 58.1% and 12.2%.
Source for all six: Lichess standard rated games, September 2026 (89,616,462 games read), counted by Chessvia. Blunder counts come from the games Lichess analysed by computer, a self-selected subset.
Which opening scores best at your rating
Ten popular openings, scored for the side that plays them at 1000 to 1199 and 1200 to 1399. White openings are compared with White openings; Black scores sit lower in every row because White moves first.
At 1000 to 1199 the Scotch Game, Queen's Gambit and London System score best for White
Score is wins plus half the draws, for the side that plays the opening. 50% is an even game.
- 55.2% 1000 to 1199
- 55.1% 1200 to 1399
- 54.8% 1000 to 1199
- 54.7% 1200 to 1399
- 54.2% 1000 to 1199
- 53.6% 1200 to 1399
- 53.6% 1000 to 1199
- 52.7% 1200 to 1399
- 52.5% 1000 to 1199
- 52.2% 1200 to 1399
- 50.5% 1000 to 1199
- 50.2% 1200 to 1399
- 50.4% 1000 to 1199
- 50.3% 1200 to 1399
- 50.4% 1000 to 1199
- 50.2% 1200 to 1399
- 48.5% 1000 to 1199
- 49.1% 1200 to 1399
- 47.0% 1000 to 1199
- 47.1% 1200 to 1399
Bars start at 44%, not zero. Dashed line: an even score (50.0%).
Show the numbers as a table
| Opening | 1000 to 1199 | 1200 to 1399 | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scotch Game (White) | 55.2% | 55.1% | 358,665 |
| Queen's Gambit (White) | 54.8% | 54.7% | 470,105 |
| London System (White) | 54.2% | 53.6% | 457,636 |
| Ruy Lopez (White) | 53.6% | 52.7% | 322,228 |
| Italian Game (White) | 52.5% | 52.2% | 776,879 |
| Sicilian Defense (Black) | 50.5% | 50.2% | 889,434 |
| Caro-Kann (Black) | 50.4% | 50.3% | 721,803 |
| French Defense (Black) | 50.4% | 50.2% | 776,244 |
| Scandinavian (Black) | 48.5% | 49.1% | 1,091,151 |
| Slav Defense (Black) | 47.0% | 47.1% | 60,484 |
The spread inside a color is small. Among White openings the best and the worst are 2.7 points apart at 1000 to 1199; among Black defenses, the Sicilian Defense leads and the Slav Defense trails by 3.5 points. Choose by what you can play every game, not by a point of score.
A starter kit of five openings
Three for White and two for Black. The Black pair share the same pawns (…c6 and …d5), so you learn one setup and use it against both 1.e4 and 1.d4. Each card shows the first moves, the idea, a mistake to watch for and how players at your rating score with it.
With White
London System
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 · you meet 1.d4
Bishop to f4 before e3, then a compact, repeatable setup.
Why it suits beginners: The same setup against almost every reply, so there is little to memorize.
Watch for: After Black plays c5 and Qb6, the b2 pawn is attacked. Know how you will protect it before you meet it.
White 52.6%Draws 3.3%Black 44.1%Results at 1000 to 1199, 182,913 games. White scores 54.2% here and 53.6% at 1200 to 1399 (274,723 games). Learn the London System on a board
Italian Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 · you meet 1.e4 e5
Quick development, the bishop aimed at f7, then the fight for d4.
Why it suits beginners: Open lines, fast development and an early castle teach the basic principles.
Watch for: Black's 3...f5, the Rousseau Gambit, is rare but scores well for Black at this level. The Italian Game guide has the answer.
White 51.0%Draws 3.1%Black 46.0%Results at 1000 to 1199, 313,568 games. White scores 52.5% here and 52.2% at 1200 to 1399 (463,311 games). Learn the Italian Game on a board
Scotch Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 · you meet 1.e4 e5
Hits e5 at once with d4 for early central contact.
Why it suits beginners: You open the center on move 3 and your pieces get room at once.
Watch for: After 3...exd4, recapture with the knight (4.Nxd4), not the queen, so Black cannot gain time by attacking it.
White 53.6%Draws 3.1%Black 43.3%Results at 1000 to 1199, 136,266 games. White scores 55.2% here and 55.1% at 1200 to 1399 (222,399 games). Learn the Scotch Game on a board
With Black
Caro-Kann Defense
1.e4 c6 · you meet 1.e4
Supports ...d5 with the c-pawn and keeps the light bishop free.
Why it suits beginners: A solid pawn structure with the light-squared bishop kept free.
Watch for: Bring that bishop out (…Bf5) before you play …e6. That one rule is most of the opening.
White 48.1%Draws 2.9%Black 49.0%Results at 1000 to 1199, 257,958 games. Black scores 50.4% here and 50.3% at 1200 to 1399 (463,845 games). Learn the Caro-Kann Defense on a board
Slav Defense
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 · you meet 1.d4 d5 2.c4
Supports d5 with ...c6 against the Queen's Gambit; the bishop stays free.
Why it suits beginners: The same …c6 and …d5 pawns as the Caro-Kann, so Black learns one setup for both first moves.
Watch for: Develop the light-squared bishop (…Bf5) before …e6 here too.
White 51.5%Draws 3.0%Black 45.5%Results at 1000 to 1199, 20,000 games. Black scores 47.0% here and 47.1% at 1200 to 1399 (40,484 games). Learn the Slav Defense on a board
Black's scores sit near or below 50% in every row, which is not a problem with the openings: White has the first move. The Scandinavian and Sicilian are popular at your rating but are not in the kit; see the questions at the end for why.
Which first move to play as White
Start with 1.e4 or 1.d4. Together they open 87.8% of games at 1000 to 1199, and nothing else comes close.
1.e4 is 64.8% of first moves at 1000 to 1199 and 1.d4 is 23.1%
Share of games that start with each first move.
- 64.8% 1000 to 1199
- 63.4% 1200 to 1399
- 43.4% 2200 and up
- 23.1% 1000 to 1199
- 23.9% 1200 to 1399
- 29.0% 2200 and up
- 2.5% 1000 to 1199
- 2.4% 1200 to 1399
- 9.1% 2200 and up
- 2.3% 1000 to 1199
- 2.2% 1200 to 1399
- 1.9% 2200 and up
- 1.6% 1000 to 1199
- 2.0% 1200 to 1399
- 5.0% 2200 and up
- 1.2% 1000 to 1199
- 1.4% 1200 to 1399
- 2.9% 2200 and up
- 0.9% 1000 to 1199
- 1.1% 1200 to 1399
- 3.3% 2200 and up
- 0.8% 1000 to 1199
- 0.9% 1200 to 1399
- n/a 2200 and up
Show the numbers as a table
| First move | 1000 to 1199 | 1200 to 1399 | 2200 and up |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.e4 | 64.8% | 63.4% | 43.4% |
| 1.d4 | 23.1% | 23.9% | 29.0% |
| 1.Nf3 | 2.5% | 2.4% | 9.1% |
| 1.e3 | 2.3% | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| 1.c4 | 1.6% | 2.0% | 5.0% |
| 1.g3 | 1.2% | 1.4% | 2.9% |
| 1.b3 | 0.9% | 1.1% | 3.3% |
| 1.f4 | 0.8% | 0.9% | n/a |
Every common first move scores near 50% for White, and 1.e3 scores lowest at 49.9%
White's score (wins plus half the draws) after each first move.
- 51.7% 1000 to 1199
- 51.5% 1200 to 1399
- 52.4% 1000 to 1199
- 52.5% 1200 to 1399
- 51.9% 1000 to 1199
- 52.0% 1200 to 1399
- 49.9% 1000 to 1199
- 50.2% 1200 to 1399
- 52.8% 1000 to 1199
- 52.6% 1200 to 1399
- 51.7% 1000 to 1199
- 51.6% 1200 to 1399
- 51.8% 1000 to 1199
- 52.0% 1200 to 1399
- 51.4% 1000 to 1199
- 51.6% 1200 to 1399
Bars start at 48%, not zero. Dashed line: an even score (50.0%).
Show the numbers as a table
| First move | 1000 to 1199 | 1200 to 1399 | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.e4 | 51.7% | 51.5% | 3,647,204 |
| 1.d4 | 52.4% | 52.5% | 1,297,266 |
| 1.Nf3 | 51.9% | 52.0% | 139,105 |
| 1.e3 | 49.9% | 50.2% | 131,801 |
| 1.c4 | 52.8% | 52.6% | 88,786 |
| 1.g3 | 51.7% | 51.6% | 69,276 |
| 1.b3 | 51.8% | 52.0% | 49,165 |
| 1.f4 | 51.4% | 51.6% | 46,175 |
How beginner games end
Checkmate is much more common below 1400 than at the top. 29.9% of games at 1000 to 1199 end in mate, 26.9% at 1200 to 1399 and 20.6% at 2200 and up, where more games end on the clock (37.6%). You will play the mating patterns far more often than a master does.
29.9% of games at 1000 to 1199 end in checkmate, against 20.6% at 2200 and up
Share of games by how they ended.
- 29.9% 1000 to 1199
- 26.9% 1200 to 1399
- 20.6% 2200 and up
- 38.1% 1000 to 1199
- 41.4% 1200 to 1399
- 36.5% 2200 and up
- 29.2% 1000 to 1199
- 29.0% 1200 to 1399
- 37.7% 2200 and up
- 1.0% 1000 to 1199
- 0.7% 1200 to 1399
- 0.7% 2200 and up
- 1.0% 1000 to 1199
- 1.2% 1200 to 1399
- 2.9% 2200 and up
Show the numbers as a table
| How the game ended | 1000 to 1199 | 1200 to 1399 | 2200 and up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkmate | 29.9% | 26.9% | 20.6% |
| Resignation | 38.1% | 41.4% | 36.5% |
| Ran out of time | 29.2% | 29.0% | 37.7% |
| Stalemate | 1.0% | 0.7% | 0.7% |
| Draw by repetition | 1.0% | 1.2% | 2.9% |
6.8% of games at 1000 to 1199 are over by move 9; at 2200 and up it is 1.4%
How long games last. The average game is 29.1 moves at 1000 to 1199 and 39.5 at 2200 and up.
- 6.8% 1000 to 1199
- 1.4% 2200 and up
- 20.6% 1000 to 1199
- 7.8% 2200 and up
- 31.6% 1000 to 1199
- 20.2% 2200 and up
- 20.9% 1000 to 1199
- 25.7% 2200 and up
- 10.3% 1000 to 1199
- 20.9% 2200 and up
- 9.8% 1000 to 1199
- 24.1% 2200 and up
Show the numbers as a table
| Game length | 1000 to 1199 | 2200 and up |
|---|---|---|
| Moves 1 to 9 | 6.8% | 1.4% |
| Moves 10 to 19 | 20.6% | 7.8% |
| Moves 20 to 29 | 31.6% | 20.2% |
| Moves 30 to 39 | 20.9% | 25.7% |
| Moves 40 to 49 | 10.3% | 20.9% |
| Move 50 or later | 9.8% | 24.1% |
Blunders and castling: where beginner games differ most
Two numbers from the same games show how beginner games differ from strong ones: players give away pieces more often, and fewer of them castle. That is why this page asks you to learn a short setup and a few habits, not long lines.
Players at 1000 to 1199 blunder 2.17 times a game; at 2200 and up it is 1.36
Blunders per player per game, in games Lichess analysed by computer.
- 2.17
- 2.00
- 1.36
Show the numbers as a table
| Rating | Blunders per player | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 to 1199 | 2.17 | 667,410 |
| 1200 to 1399 | 2.00 | 930,909 |
| 2200 and up | 1.36 | 606,278 |
40.3% of White players at 1000 to 1199 castle by move 10; 29.1% never castle
Share of White's games by when White's king castled.
- 40.3% Castled by move 10
- 29.1% Never castled
- 44.7% Castled by move 10
- 22.9% Never castled
- 58.1% Castled by move 10
- 12.2% Never castled
Show the numbers as a table
| Rating | Castled by move 10 | Never castled | Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1000 to 1199 | 40.3% | 29.1% | 5,628,817 |
| 1200 to 1399 | 44.7% | 22.9% | 8,976,260 |
| 2200 and up | 58.1% | 12.2% | 5,590,869 |
Opening traps to know and avoid
Scholar's Mate ends about 1 game in 827 at 1000 to 1199, so you will meet it. The others are rarer but teach the same lesson. Learn the position, then learn the one move that stops it.
Scholar's Mate ended 12.09 of every 10,000 games at 1000 to 1199, about 42 times the rate at 2200 and up
Games that ended in Scholar's Mate (queen and bishop checkmate on f7 in four moves), per 10,000 games.
- 12.09
- 7.38
- 0.29
Show the numbers as a table
| Rating | Per 10,000 games | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 to 1199 | 12.09 | 5,628,817 |
| 1200 to 1399 | 7.38 | 8,976,260 |
| 2200 and up | 0.29 | 5,590,869 |
Scholar's Mate
White plays 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 and aims the queen and bishop at f7. If Black plays 3...Nf6, the knight blocks nothing and 4.Qxf7 is checkmate. Black stops it with 3...g6, which attacks the queen, or 3...Qe7, which guards f7.
Fool's Mate
The fastest checkmate in chess takes two moves by Black: 1.f3 e5 2.g4 Qh4#. It ended 42 of 5,628,817 games at 1000 to 1199 (0.07 per 10,000), counting any checkmate within four half-moves. It is a lesson about the f- and g-pawns: moving both opens the diagonal to your king.
Légal's Trap
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 g6, White can play 5.Nxe5! Black takes the queen with 5...Bxd1, and 6.Bxf7+ Ke7 7.Nd5 is checkmate with only knights and a bishop. It is a trap to play as White and a warning as Black: check what White threatens before you grab a queen.
This is the classic seven-move miniature, usually credited to Sire de Légal, who is said to have played it against Saint Brie in Paris in 1750; Wikipedia notes that the year and the move order are doubtful (Wikipedia, Légal trap, read 13 November 2026). The moves are legal in chess.js and end in checkmate on move 7.
The Rousseau Gambit: a trap that works against you
Some Black players answer the Italian Game with 3...f5, the Rousseau Gambit, hoping White grabs a pawn. Black scores 53.1% with it in 5,100 games at 1000 to 1199, and the Italian Game as a whole scores 52.5% for White. As White, the Italian Game guide shows the reply; as Black, treat the gambit as a risk you take on purpose, not a trick that works by itself.
What to learn first, in order
1. Bring your pieces out.
Knights and bishops first, and move each piece once before you move any twice.
2. Castle by move 10.
Only 40.3% of White players at your rating do. Your king is safe and your rook joins the game.
3. Pick one setup per first move.
One of the London System, Italian Game or Scotch Game as White, and the Caro-Kann with the Slav as Black.
4. Know the three traps.
Scholar's Mate, Fool's Mate and Légal's Trap, from the section above.
5. Check each move for a hanging piece.
Before you play a move, ask what it leaves unprotected. This beats any extra line.
6. Review your losses.
Find the first move where the game turned and compare it with the opening plan.
What strong players say
"The main thing is to develop the pieces quickly."
José Raúl Capablanca, Chess Fundamentals (1921), Chapter I, section 6.
In the openings, "pieces should be moved in preference to Pawns."
José Raúl Capablanca, Chess Fundamentals (1921), Chapter I, section 6.
"Bring out the Knights before bringing out the Bishops."
José Raúl Capablanca, Chess Fundamentals (1921), Chapter I, section 6.
Magnus Carlsen does the opposite of the advice in this kit: he rotates openings so opponents cannot prepare for him (Wikipedia, Magnus Carlsen, read 13 November 2026). A beginner without a team of analysts is better off with one setup and a plan.
A model game: Réti against Tartakower, Vienna 1910
Richard Réti, playing White, beat Savielly Tartakower in a Caro-Kann in Vienna in 1910, in 11 moves (game score, Kingdom of Chess, Réti's Mate, read 14 November 2026; sources differ on the event). It is worth a beginner's time because the Caro-Kann is this page's Black pick, and because Black loses by taking a pawn with the queen while the king is still at home.
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Qd3 e5 6.dxe5 Qa5+ 7.Bd2 Qxe5 8.O-O-O Nxe4 9.Qd8+ Kxd8 10.Bg5+ Kc7 11.Bd8#
White castles long on move 8, so the rook on d1 looks down the open d-file. After 9.Qd8+ Kxd8, 10.Bg5+ is a double check: the bishop and the rook both give check, and the king can only move. It goes to c7, and 11.Bd8 is mate, with Black's own pawns on b7 and c6 blocking the king. The lesson for a Caro-Kann player is to finish development and castle before you capture pawns with the queen.
Questions beginners ask about openings
What is the best chess opening for beginners?
No opening is best for everyone, but the London System, Italian Game and Scotch Game for White and the Caro-Kann with the Slav for Black are the easiest to learn. At 1000 to 1199 on Lichess, White scores 54.2% with the London System, 52.5% with the Italian Game and 55.2% with the Scotch Game, in 632,747 games between them.
What are the best opening moves for a beginner in chess?
Start with 1.e4 or 1.d4. They are 64.8% and 23.1% of first moves at 1000 to 1199, and White scores 51.7% and 52.4% with them. 1.e3 is played in 2.3% of games and scores 49.9%, the lowest of the eight common first moves.
What is the best opening for a White player in chess?
Among the five White openings we track, the Scotch Game scores best at 1000 to 1199 with 55.2%, then the Queen's Gambit with 54.8% and the London System with 54.2%. The Italian Game scores 52.5%. The gaps are a point or two, so choose the one whose plans you can remember.
How should a beginner respond to 1.e4?
Play 1...c6, the Caro-Kann, and follow it with ...d5. At 1000 to 1199 Black scores 50.4% with it in 257,958 games, level with the French at 50.4% (a tie), so the pick rests on the Slav: the same ...d5 pawn structure, so you learn one set-up for both 1.e4 and 1.d4. The Sicilian scores 50.5% and the Scandinavian 48.5%. Answering 1.e4 with ...e5 is also sound and leads to the Italian Game and Scotch Game from Black's side.
Is Black harder to win with in chess?
A little. White scores 51.8% at 1000 to 1199, so Black scores 48.2%: White wins 50.2% of games, Black 46.7% and 3.1% are drawn. At 2200 and up White's edge is 2.3 points over an even score, against 1.8 at 1000 to 1199.
What are the most popular chess openings?
The most played first move is 1.e4 (64.8% of games at 1000 to 1199), then 1.d4 (23.1%). Of the ten openings we track, the most played at 1200 to 1399 are the Scandinavian (646,794 games), the Sicilian Defense (594,616) and the French Defense (505,966).
What is Magnus Carlsen's favorite opening?
He has no single favorite. Carlsen plays a wide range of openings so that opponents cannot prepare for him (Wikipedia, Magnus Carlsen, read 13 November 2026). That works for a world champion with a team of analysts; a beginner gets more from one setup repeated every game.
Does White play first in chess?
Yes. White always makes the first move, and that is worth a small edge: Wikipedia's First-move advantage in chess puts White's score in master games near 54 to 56% (read 14 November 2026). On Lichess at 1000 to 1199, White scores 51.8%; at 2200 and up, 52.3%.
What is the 20-40-40 rule in chess?
The 20-40-40 rule is a study-time guideline: spend about 20% of your chess study on openings, 40% on the middlegame (tactics and plans) and 40% on endgames, aimed mostly at players under about 2000. No single person created it, and it is a rule of thumb rather than a rule of chess (Ramachess, updated 4 November 2026). In September 2026 Lichess analysed games, 95.5% of games between 1000 to 1199 players had at least one blunder, so results are usually decided after the opening, which fits putting most study time there.
What is Scholar's Mate and how do I stop it?
Scholar's Mate is checkmate on f7 in four moves: 1.e4 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6?? 4.Qxf7#. It ended 12.09 of every 10,000 games at 1000 to 1199 (6,803 games) and 0.29 at 2200 and up. Stop it by answering 3.Bc4 with 3...g6, which attacks the queen, or 3...Qe7, which guards f7.
Do I need to memorize opening theory as a beginner?
No. In Lichess games that players had analysed, players rated 1000 to 1199 blunder 2.17 times a game, and 4.5% of those games have no blunder at all. Our advice: check each move for a hanging piece before you add a longer line. Learn the first five or six moves of one opening for each first move and the plan behind them.
Is the London System good for beginners?
Yes. White scores 54.2% with it at 1000 to 1199 and 53.6% at 1200 to 1399, and it keeps scoring above even at 2200 and up (53.1% in 34,284 games). You play nearly the same setup against most replies, so there is less to remember than in the Italian Game or Scotch Game.
What is the Sicilian Defense?
The Sicilian Defense is Black's reply 1.e4 c5: Black fights for the center from the side instead of copying White's pawn. It is the most played answer to 1.e4 at 2200 and up (687,633 games in September 2026) and scores 50.5% for Black at 1000 to 1199.
Is the Sicilian Defense good for beginners?
It is sound but we left it out of the starter kit. The Sicilian is Black's most played answer to 1.e4 at 2200 and up (687,633 games) and scores 50.5% at 1000 to 1199, level with the Caro-Kann at 50.4%. Its unbalanced positions do not share a setup with the Slav, so you would learn two systems instead of one pair.