Chess openings by rating

Chess Openings for Players Rated 1600–1799

In rated Lichess games, players rated 1600–1799 open with 1.e4 61% of the time. Against 1.e4 their most common reply is 1...e5 (39%), and against 1.d4 it is 1...d5 (44%). 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. e461%
  2. 1. d425%
  3. 1. c44%
  4. 1. Nf33%

Black against 1.e4

  1. 1... e539%
  2. 1... c524%
  3. 1... e612%
  4. 1... d58%

Black against 1.d4

  1. 1... d544%
  2. 1... Nf622%
  3. 1... e612%
  4. 1... g65%

The openings players rated 1600–1799 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 · 14.6% of games
  2. King's Knight Opening1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 · 14.4% of games
  3. King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 · 8.7% of games
  4. French Defense1. e4 e6 · 7.6% of games
  5. Queen's Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 · 5.7% of games
  6. Indian Defense1. d4 Nf6 · 5.4% of games
  7. Scandinavian Defense1. e4 d5 · 4.6% of games
  8. French Defense: Normal Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4 · 3.7% of games
  9. Italian Game1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 · 3.5% of games
  10. Philidor Defense1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 · 3.4% of games
  11. Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 · 3.4% of games
  12. Bishop's Opening1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 · 3.2% of games
  13. Caro-Kann Defense1. e4 c6 · 3.1% of games
  14. King's Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 · 3.1% of games
  15. Horwitz Defense1. d4 e6 · 2.9% of games

Played more at this level

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

  1. Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack1.2% of games here, 0.7% across all ratings
  2. King's Gambit Accepted: King's Knight's Gambit1.6% of games here, 0.9% across all ratings
  3. King's Gambit Accepted1.8% of games here, 1% across all ratings
  4. Bird Opening1.8% of games here, 1% across all ratings
  5. King's Gambit3.1% of games here, 2% across all ratings
  6. Queen's Pawn Game: Modern Defense1.3% 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. Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation0.5% of games here, 0.8% across all ratings
  2. Vienna Game0.6% of games here, 1% across all ratings
  3. Van't Kruijs Opening1.4% of games here, 2.1% across all ratings
  4. Three Knights Opening0.6% of games here, 0.9% across all ratings
  5. Center Game1.3% of games here, 1.9% across all ratings
  6. Zukertort Opening2.5% of games here, 3.4% across all ratings

Openings by rating

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