Chess openings by rating

Chess Openings for Players Rated 2000 and up

In rated Lichess games, players rated 2000 and up open with 1.e4 54% of the time. Against 1.e4 their most common reply is 1...c5 (37%), and against 1.d4 it is 1...Nf6 (45%). 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. e454%
  2. 1. d429%
  3. 1. Nf36%
  4. 1. c44%

Black against 1.e4

  1. 1... c537%
  2. 1... e525%
  3. 1... e611%
  4. 1... c68%

Black against 1.d4

  1. 1... Nf645%
  2. 1... d528%
  3. 1... c56%
  4. 1... e66%

The openings players rated 2000 and up 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 · 19.8% of games
  2. Indian Defense1. d4 Nf6 · 13.3% of games
  3. King's Knight Opening1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 · 9.7% of games
  4. Indian Defense: Normal Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 · 8.1% of games
  5. King's Knight Opening: Normal Variation1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 · 7.8% of games
  6. French Defense1. e4 e6 · 5.9% of games
  7. Queen's Gambit1. d4 d5 2. c4 · 5.2% of games
  8. Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 · 5.2% of games
  9. Caro-Kann Defense1. e4 c6 · 4.4% of games
  10. French Defense: Normal Variation1. e4 e6 2. d4 · 4.4% of games
  11. Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 · 3.7% of games
  12. Ruy Lopez1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 · 3.5% of games
  13. Indian Defense: Knights Variation1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 · 3% of games
  14. Pirc Defense1. e4 d6 · 3% of games
  15. Sicilian Defense: French Variation1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 · 3% 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: Najdorf Variation1.7% of games here, 0.5% across all ratings
  2. Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main Line3% of games here, 1% across all ratings
  3. Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Open1.8% of games here, 0.6% across all ratings
  4. Indian Defense: Knights Variation3% of games here, 1.1% across all ratings
  5. Indian Defense: Normal Variation8.1% of games here, 3.1% across all ratings
  6. French Defense: Paulsen Variation1.4% of games here, 0.5% across all ratings

Played less at this level

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

  1. Philidor Defense0.5% of games here, 3.2% across all ratings
  2. French Defense: Knight Variation0.6% of games here, 1.5% across all ratings
  3. Queen's Gambit Accepted0.5% of games here, 1.1% across all ratings
  4. King's Gambit Accepted: King's Knight's Gambit0.5% of games here, 0.9% across all ratings
  5. King's Gambit Accepted0.5% of games here, 1% across all ratings
  6. Center Game1% of games here, 1.9% across all ratings

Openings by rating

Practice it against a human-like opponent.

BeaconChess opponents open from these same books, then play human-like moves for their level while the coach explains your moves in plain English. The first coached game is free.

Play a free coached game →

Played this opening recently?

Paste the game into the free analyzer to find the moves that cost you, with each mistake explained. Three analyses are free, with no email or card.

Analyze a game free →