The Bishop's Opening (1. 2.) gives you a 53.2% score as White across 813,196 Lichess games from September 2026, played by people rated 900 to 1700. That's an even result. Your bishop goes to c4 and eyes f7, while the g1 knight waits to see what Black does before you commit to a center.
Lichess games from September 2026 (30,577,162 rated 900 to 1700) and 31,791 over-the-board games rated 2300+ from the last 12 months. Data updated: October 14, 2026.
40 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
After 2., Black at your level splits almost evenly between and : each comes up in about 1 of every 3 games. Players rated 2200 and up choose in 60 of every 100, and in the 105 over-the-board games at 2300 and up, in 94 of every 100. After , the public answers 3. in 38 of every 100 games, strong players in 54. The real split comes with : strong players pick it in 36 of every 100 games, the public in 8.
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32.5% | 51.8% | 30.4% | 5.7% | |
| 32.2% | 52.7% | 59.7% | 94.3% | |
| 12.2% | 54.1% | 3.8% | no data | |
| 10.5% | 52.6% | 2.5% | no data | |
| 2.6% | 53.5% | 1.1% | no data | |
| 2.3% | 51.2% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.2% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37.7% | 52.9% | 53.5% | 72.4% | |
| 23.3% | 53.5% | 6.4% | no data | |
| 17.8% | 52.6% | 16.0% | 27.6% | |
| 8.5% | 50.8% | 3.0% | no data | |
| 5.8% | 56.5% | 18.2% | no data | |
| 1.9% | 51.8% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.8% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 34.5% | 52.7% | 21.6% | 17.4% | |
| 21.9% | 52.9% | 31.6% | 26.1% | |
| 12.1% | 53.7% | 5.7% | no data | |
| 10.0% | 52.7% | 0.9% | no data | |
| 7.6% | 49.1% | 35.3% | 56.5% | |
| 4.8% | 54.8% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 4.1% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.0% | 50.8% | 76.6% | 100.0% | |
| 24.4% | 50.9% | 3.2% | no data | |
| 11.8% | 49.7% | 5.9% | no data | |
| 9.3% | 46.1% | no data | no data | |
| 7.3% | 46.5% | no data | no data | |
| 7.3% | 46.3% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 7.6% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 2.3% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 2.0% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72.2% | 49.6% | 76.0% | 100.0% | |
| 7.9% | 55.5% | 6.0% | no data | |
| 5.5% | 47.6% | 1.7% | no data | |
| 5.3% | 55.0% | no data | no data | |
| 2.2% | 54.5% | no data | no data | |
| 2.0% | 56.5% | 10.0% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 2.6% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 2.4% | no data |
The strong players' line from 2. runs 3. 4. 5. 6.. It heads for a specific structure: your e4 pawn locked in place by d3, and three of your units trained on Black's pawn on d5. In return, Black gets a center of their own with pawns on d5 and e5.
hits e4, which nothing defends. 3. holds it with a pawn instead of a piece, opens the diagonal for the c1 bishop and also covers c4, so your bishop has a pawn behind it.
prepares . The c6 pawn backs up d5: if you trade on d5, Black recaptures with a pawn and keeps two pawns in the middle. You go 4., which attacks e5, now undefended, and clears the way to castle short. Then arrives, hitting your bishop and the e4 pawn at once.
5. pulls the bishop back without leaving the diagonal through d5. Black covers e5 with , but that bishop blocks the queen, which no longer guards d5. 6. completes the setup: the knight adds a defender to e4 and an attacker to d5. Now the b3 bishop, the c3 knight and the e4 pawn all hit d5, and only the c6 pawn and the f6 knight defend it. That tension on d5 is what the game is about. Across the whole opening, the most common pattern is both sides castling short, which happens in 251,967 public games.
At your level almost nobody gets there. Only 4,120 public games reach 4. in this line, and once hits the board the public plays 5. in 6 of every 100 games, against 91 of every 100 for strong players. What you'll face most is , and that's where nearly all the mistakes below come from.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 5,114 | 60.4% | |
| 3,084 | 54.1% | |
| 1,659 | 36.2% | |
| 592 | 78.0% | |
| 455 | 77.8% | |
| 350 | 91.1% | |
| 317 | 42.3% | |
| 125 | 69.6% |
This one is a trap. After 3. , 4. looks like it hits f7 with knight and bishop, but the knight is loose and the d8 queen reaches g5 along the diagonal the e-pawn opened. After you're a piece down and the queen eyes g2. With 4. you score 54 of every 100; with 4., 34.
2 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 7.1 pawns of advantage. It scores 33.8%; scores 54.1%.
This position is in the free course: If Black develops the bishop to c5.
After , 3. gives up the bishop for a pawn. Black's king loses the right to castle, but the 4. check no longer wins e5, since the c6 knight guards it. At your level opponents often don't punish it: you score 49 of every 100, against 51 with 3..
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 6.1 pawns of advantage. It scores 48.6%; scores 51.3%.
After 3. , 1 in every 4 players grabs 4.. It's a mistake: hits the e5 knight and the g2 pawn at once. If you castle with 5. to cover g2, the knight drops to . Take with 4. instead: you score 57 of every 100, against 24 after 4..
27 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 24.3%; scores 56.6%.
After 3. , more than 1 in every 3 players take with 4.. Black answers , kicking your f3 knight, and after 5. 6. the c8 bishop is already aimed at f5 to win the pawn back. 4. hits e5 and scores 57 of every 100, against 39.
38 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 39.4%; scores 56.5%.
After , 3. 4. 5. grabs a second pawn and hits the c5 bishop, but defends it and kicks your queen. You're left with two pawns for a piece. At your level opponents often don't punish it: you score 55 of every 100, and 52 with 3..
5 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 3.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.1%; scores 52.3%.
After 3. , 4. prepares a push to d4 but leaves e4 without a defender. After 5. , the pawn hits your bishop and supports the knight; following 6. 7. Black stays a pawn up. 4. keeps e4 covered. At your level opponents often don't punish it: 52 of every 100 against 53.
4 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.1 pawns of advantage. It scores 51.8%; scores 53.1%.
This position is in the free course: If Black hits e4 with the knight.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 251,967 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 143,568 |
| Not castled | 127,677 | |
| Not castled | 106,963 | |
| 56,469 | ||
| 52,218 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 93 | ||
| 13 | ||
| Not castled | 11 | |
| Not castled | 7 | |
| 5 | ||
| 5 |
1. 2. · 162,743 amateur games · 35 over the board
goes straight at e4; it's the strong players' choice and has 162,743 public games.
1. 2. · 110,884 amateur games
With Black mirrors your move and aims the bishop at f2; 110,884 games.
1. 2. 3. 4. · 61,776 amateur games · 89 over the board
After 3. , 4. adds a defender to e4 and watches d5; 61,776 games.
1. 2. · 29,535 amateur games
With Black prepares a push to d5 against your bishop and e4; 29,535 games.
1. 2. 3. · 17,306 amateur games
3. offers a pawn to open the center right away; you score 57 of every 100.
1. 2. 3. · 11,172 amateur games · 10 over the board
After 3., is the strong players' line; the public scores 49 of every 100 as White.
1. 2. · 7,807 amateur games
With Black gives up a pawn to hit your bishop on c4; 7,807 games.
1. 2. · 7,462 amateur games
With Black offers the f-pawn to attack e4; 7,462 games.
1. 2. 3. · 5,475 amateur games
After , 3. prepares a push to d4 to kick the c5 bishop; 5,475 games.
1. 2. 3. 4. · 5,288 amateur games
After 3. , 4. develops the knight and hits the d4 pawn; 5,288 games.
1. 2. 3. · 4,555 amateur games
After , 3. hits the bishop and the e5 pawn at once; you score 61 of every 100.
1. 2. 3. 4. · C27
1,835 amateur games · White's score: 59.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C24
1,376 amateur games · White's score: 53.6%
1. 2. 3. · C23
1,172 amateur games · White's score: 55.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C24
723 amateur games · White's score: 52.4%
1. 2. 3. · C23
266 amateur games · White's score: 45.7%
1. 2. 3. · C23
183 amateur games · White's score: 57.9%
1. 2. 3. · C23
134 amateur games · White's score: 46.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C27
122 amateur games · White's score: 63.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C23
64 amateur games · White's score: 51.6%
1. 2. 3. · C26
46 amateur games · White's score: 59.8%
1. 2. 3. · C23
27 amateur games · White's score: 46.3%
1. 2. 3. · C23
18 amateur games · White's score: 61.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · C23
7 amateur games · White's score: 42.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C23
6 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C24
5 amateur games · White's score: 40.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · C23
3 amateur games · White's score: 66.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · C23
2 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C23
2 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. · C23
2 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · C24
1 amateur game · White's score: 100.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. · C23
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C23
It's 1. 2.: you bring the bishop to c4, where it eyes f7, and keep the g1 knight home for one more move. Between 900 and 1700 it shows up in 813,196 games, and Black most often answers or , each in about 1 of every 3 games.
It's sound and even. Between 900 and 1700 you score 53 of every 100 as White. In 138 over-the-board games between players rated 2300 and up, the player with White scores 54 of every 100. It won't win on surprise alone: what works is holding e4 with 3. and piling up on d5 with bishop and knight.
It's 1. 2. : Black copies your bishop move and aims at f2. It has 110,884 public games, and you score 54 of every 100 as White. Avoid 3. there, which leaves you two pawns for a piece; 3. is the sound move.