The Horwitz Defense is 1. : you open the diagonal for your f8 bishop and prepare with a pawn behind it, so you still have a pawn on d5 if your opponent trades there. Across 384,600 Lichess games rated 900 to 1700 (September 2026), you score 47%. Strong players continue 2. 3. 4. 5. , and that is the line explained here, along with the mistakes you'll meet most often at your level.
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.
2 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
After , your opponents at this level spread their replies around: 2. in 24 games out of 100, 2. in 23, 2. in 18 and 2. in 15. Players rated over 2200 online pick 2. in 45 out of 100 and rarely bother with 2., 8 in 100. Against 2., is the most common answer in both groups, about 4 in 10. Then they part ways: at your level the next choice is , 13 in 100, while strong players prefer , 20, or , 17. After 3. , strong players trade with 4. in 47 games out of 100. At your level only 1 in 8 do, and the most popular move is 4., 31 in 100.
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24.3% | 53.4% | 45.3% | 71.6% | |
| 22.6% | 53.1% | 7.6% | 1.7% | |
| 18.1% | 50.9% | 12.0% | 6.8% | |
| 14.6% | 53.6% | 25.2% | 19.9% | |
| 8.6% | 52.7% | 1.7% | no data | |
| 6.3% | 52.0% | 5.7% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40.8% | 53.8% | 40.2% | 16.8% | |
| 12.7% | 51.3% | 3.7% | 8.2% | |
| 9.1% | 54.2% | 19.6% | 14.7% | |
| 6.3% | 53.0% | no data | no data | |
| 6.1% | 53.3% | no data | no data | |
| 5.4% | 52.2% | 11.8% | 26.7% | |
| no data | no data | 16.9% | 20.3% | |
| no data | no data | 3.6% | 13.4% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50.9% | 53.9% | 61.2% | 55.2% | |
| 15.6% | 53.8% | 30.1% | 43.5% | |
| 11.9% | 52.4% | 4.3% | 0.6% | |
| 9.9% | 53.4% | 1.3% | no data | |
| 4.2% | 53.5% | 0.2% | no data | |
| 3.5% | 52.3% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 2.6% | 0.7% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47.9% | 52.8% | 56.7% | 56.0% | |
| 14.3% | 55.2% | no data | no data | |
| 12.4% | 57.6% | no data | no data | |
| 8.8% | 52.1% | 9.6% | 6.7% | |
| 8.5% | 53.2% | 11.8% | 10.5% | |
| 2.5% | 57.2% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 6.7% | 12.2% | |
| no data | no data | 5.1% | 4.1% | |
| no data | no data | 3.4% | no data | |
| no data | no data | no data | 5.2% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31.3% | 53.3% | 25.0% | 17.8% | |
| 28.0% | 53.0% | 22.0% | 11.2% | |
| 12.9% | 53.8% | 47.0% | 71.0% | |
| 10.1% | 51.9% | 2.6% | no data | |
| 7.1% | 52.9% | 2.0% | no data | |
| 5.0% | 53.2% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.5% | no data |
What you're after is a pawn on d5 that your opponent can't take away. sets it up and also opens the f8 bishop's diagonal toward b4. When comes, the e6 pawn protects it, and if your opponent trades on d5 you recapture with the e-pawn. The strong-player line, 2. 3. 4. 5. , ends with that pawn backed by the one on c6 and your c8 bishop free to come out.
2. hits d5 before you've even occupied it. After , the pawn has two defenders: the e6 pawn and your queen on d8. 3. brings a second attacker, so it's two against two, and adds a third defender. That knight also covers e4, the square your opponent would like to push the e-pawn to. With 4. your opponent gives up the c-pawn for your d-pawn. , the strong players' choice in 91 games out of 100, puts a pawn back on d5 and opens the diagonal for your c8 bishop all the way to h3. Before the trade, the e6 pawn shut that diagonal; now the bishop can come out to f5 or g4. You get the half-open e-file; your opponent gets the c-file.
5. attacks the f6 knight, with your queen on d8 behind it now that e7 is empty. That knight is one of the two pieces guarding d5. Without , if the bishop takes on f6 and you recapture with the queen, d5 is left hanging to the c3 knight. With a pawn on c6, d5 stays protected whatever happens on f6, and your queen gets the diagonal toward a5. At your level, after , only 43 in 100 play 5.; among strong players it's 90.
What you want to avoid is letting go of the center. After 3., pulls the pawn off d5 and you score 42 out of 100, against 47 with . , chosen by 1 in 7, pins the c3 knight to your opponent's king because d2 is empty, but you score 45 out of 100 with it. The same idea holds against the moves you'll meet most. Against 2., hits that pawn right away. Against 2., the bishop eyes c7 and your queen guards it from d8, so play and leave the queen at home. Against 2., claims the center before the e-pawn can arrive. In all of these lines, the e6 pawn is ready to recapture if your opponent trades on d5.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 28,871 | 45.6% | |
| 14,237 | 39.8% | |
| 42,635 | 61.0% | |
| 28,138 | 56.6% | |
| 23,720 | 47.9% | |
| 11,326 | 91.4% | |
| 11,429 | 89.8% | |
| 10,154 | 47.6% |
After 2., attacks the e4 pawn, which has no defender. But 3. covers it, and after 4. the knight hits your queen, which has to go back with . You've moved your queen twice while your opponent developed two pieces. 2 in 100 play it. It's rarely punished: you score 48.7, against 50.5 with .
2 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.2 pawns of advantage. It scores 48.7%; scores 50.5%.
After 2., lets 3. kick your knight. After , 4. kicks it again, and blocks your f8 bishop, which already has a pawn on g7 in its way. Your opponent gains space while you spend two more moves on the knight. 3 in 100 play it. It costs a little: you score 47.1, against 50.5 with .
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 47.1%; scores 50.5%.
After 2., takes the square your g8 knight wants and brings the queen out too early. Your opponent goes 3. 4. 5., and the bishop attacks your queen, which has to move again with . 3 in 100 play it. It's seldom punished at your level: you score 45.2, against 46.5 with .
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.1 pawns of advantage. It scores 45.2%; scores 46.5%.
After 2., leaves the center alone, and 3. sets up pawns on d4 and e4. After 4. 5., the bishop hits your a8 rook along the long diagonal, since b7 is empty, and you block it with . 5 in 100 play it. It isn't punished at your level: you score 47.4, against 46.5 with .
5 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 47.4%; scores 46.5%.
After 2., attacks the d4 pawn, which the d1 queen protects, and takes f6 from your knight. Your opponent develops with 3. 4. 5., lining up pawns on c4, d4 and e4, and gives up your bishop for the knight. 2 in 100 play it. It's barely punished: you score 45.8, against 46.2 with .
2 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1 pawn of advantage. It scores 45.8%; scores 46.2%.
After 2., attacks the undefended f4 bishop, but pulls your queen off d8, where it was guarding c7. 3. grabs that pawn and saves the bishop in one go. After 4. 5., attacks the bishop again, now on c7, forcing it to move. 3 in 100 play it. You score 44.2, against 47 with .
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 44.2%; scores 47.0%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 151,748 | ||
| Not castled | 61,038 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 54,061 |
| Not castled | 41,293 | |
| 26,480 | ||
| Not castled | 18,552 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | ||
| Not castled | 2 | |
| Not castled | 2 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 1 |
| Not castled | 1 | |
| 1 |
1. 2. · A40
104 amateur games · White's score: 64.4%