The Polish Opening starts with 1.: the pawn grabs queenside space and clears b2, so your bishop can aim down the long diagonal at e5 and g7. On Lichess (September 2026, N = 145,328 games rated 900 to 1700), you score 54.5% with it, while online players rated over 2200 score 51.4%. The most common reply, , opens the f8 bishop's diagonal all the way to your b4 pawn.
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.
26 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
After 1., 42 in 100 opponents at your level answer and 22 in 100 play . Online players rated over 2200 also prefer , but they pick more often than . Against , 85 in 100 players go 2.. From there club players split: in nearly 3 of every 10 games, in 1 in 4, and in fewer than 1 in 5. Among strong players, climbs to 62 in 100. After that capture, 99 in 100 club players take back with 3.. There, every strong player answers . At your level only 32 in 100 find it, and against you score 81 in 100.
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41.9% | 55.8% | 36.6% | no data | |
| 22.4% | 54.2% | 15.1% | no data | |
| 8.5% | 55.9% | 9.7% | no data | |
| 7.5% | 49.5% | 16.6% | no data | |
| 4.1% | 54.8% | no data | no data | |
| 3.5% | 51.7% | 6.0% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 4.5% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85.4% | 57.1% | 92.5% | no data | |
| 6.9% | 51.9% | 1.0% | no data | |
| 3.3% | 52.2% | 6.5% | no data | |
| 1.3% | 46.1% | no data | no data | |
| 0.5% | 45.4% | no data | no data | |
| 0.4% | 36.5% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28.5% | 50.2% | 20.9% | no data | |
| 25.4% | 62.6% | no data | no data | |
| 17.6% | 62.2% | 61.6% | no data | |
| 9.0% | 55.3% | 10.7% | no data | |
| 5.2% | 55.9% | 2.4% | no data | |
| 3.3% | 55.7% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 2.4% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.9% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99.2% | 62.5% | 98.5% | no data | |
| 0.5% | 43.9% | no data | no data | |
| 0.3% | 58.9% | 1.5% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32.2% | 47.4% | 100.0% | no data | |
| 18.3% | 80.6% | no data | no data | |
| 17.2% | 53.2% | no data | no data | |
| 11.0% | 79.3% | no data | no data | |
| 7.9% | 66.7% | no data | no data | |
| 6.2% | 76.2% | no data | no data |
The strong-player line is 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.. It's a swap: each side grabs the pawn the other left hanging, and then you use your c-pawn to kick the enemy bishop and win back the long diagonal.
With your opponent opens the f8 bishop's diagonal to b4, and nothing guards that pawn. Your 2. doesn't defend it; it hits e5, which is just as loose. If your opponent takes with , you take back with 3., and now the g7 pawn is attacked with the h8 rook sitting behind it.
That's why strong players always reply : the knight steps between your bishop and g7 and cuts the diagonal. At your level, plenty of opponents play or here. Both attack your bishop but leave g7 exposed, and 4. moves the bishop out of danger, wins a pawn and threatens the rook. also blocks the diagonal, but it takes the knight's natural square away.
After , the b4 bishop is your opponent's most active piece. 4. hits it with a pawn and gains time; strong players retreat with in 69 of every 100 games. The cost of 4. is that the pawn blocks your bishop's path back to b2 and a1. That's why 5. comes right now: the pawn takes one more step, reopens the whole diagonal so the bishop can drop back to b2, and covers d5 and b5.
The resulting structure: you gave up your b-pawn for your opponent's e-pawn. You keep both your d- and e-pawns, while in the center your opponent has just the d7 pawn. From here you play for that extra central pawn and for the long diagonal, which your bishop gets back once it returns to b2.
At your level the swap happens less often. The most popular reply, , defends e5 and also blocks the f8 bishop, so b4 is no longer under attack. With , though, the knight hits b4 and guards e5 at the same time; there 3. kicks it away and leaves e5 without its defender.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 3,296 | 36.6% | |
| 1,199 | 92.5% | |
| 1,101 | 61.6% | |
| 678 | 98.5% | |
| 660 | 100.0% | |
| 663 | 32.7% | |
| 206 | 68.9% | |
| 141 | 36.2% |
A mistake. After 1. 2. , the knight blocks the diagonal to g7, so taking on b4 no longer costs your opponent the g7 pawn. 3. ignores b4, and simply picks it up. About 8 in 100 play it; you score 47 in 100, against 52 with 3., which moves the pawn out of reach.
8 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.5 pawns of advantage. It scores 47.1%; scores 51.5%.
A mistake. After 1. 2. , the knight attacks b4 and guards e5. 3. holds the pawn, but after 4. 5. , e5 is covered by pawn, knight and bishop, and your b2 bishop just bites on it. About 4 in 100 play it and you score 47 in 100; with 3., kicking the knight, 64.
4 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.1 pawns of advantage. It scores 46.6%; scores 63.8%.
A blunder. After 1. 2. , the d4 pawn blocks your diagonal and is protected by the d8 queen. 3. gives up the bishop for a pawn: after the queen also hits a1 and b4. About 3 in 100 fall for it; you score 34 in 100, against 59 with 3., which attacks d4 a second time.
3 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 6.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 33.6%; scores 58.7%.
A mistake. After 1. 2. , 3. hits d4 with pawn and bishop, but your opponent trades with , and after 4. your f-pawn is gone and the h4–e1 diagonal is open toward your king. About 18 in 100 choose it. You score 51 in 100; with 3., which develops a piece, 59.
18 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1 pawn of advantage. It scores 51.0%; scores 58.7%.
An inaccuracy. After 1. 2. , 3. seems to hang a pawn, but if the knight takes it, it leaves f6 and your bishop wins the h8 rook. Best is , and after 4. 5. your g5 pawn has no support. At your level it goes unpunished: you score 53 in 100, against 47 with 3..
11 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 53.0%; scores 47.2%.
An inaccuracy. After 1. , the c-pawn attacks b4. 2. gives it away: after your opponent is a pawn up, and you look for compensation by taking the center with 3.. The cleaner move is 2.. About 18 in 100 play it, and at your level it barely shows: you score 53 in 100, against 54 with 2..
18 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.9 pawns of advantage. It scores 52.8%; scores 54.4%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 60,425 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 29,330 |
| Not castled | 20,813 | |
| Not castled | 16,478 | |
| 8,838 | ||
| Not castled | 5,666 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 8 |
1. · 27,175 amateur games
With 1. your opponent takes the center instead of going after b4; you score 54 in 100.
1. 2. · 15,442 amateur games
1. 2. guards e5 and blocks the f8 bishop; you score 50 in 100 here.
1. 2. · 5,680 amateur games
1. 2. prepares a bishop on g7, on your own diagonal; you score 48 in 100.
1. 2. · 5,194 amateur games
1. 2. props up b4 with a pawn instead of hitting e5; you score 52 in 100.
1. · 4,703 amateur games
1. opens the way for the d8 queen to a5, where it would hit b4.
1. 2. · 3,393 amateur games · 1 over the board
With 1. 2. your opponent develops the c8 bishop before moving the e-pawn.
1. 2. 3. 4. · A00
2,413 amateur games · White's score: 51.6%
1. 2. 3. · A00
2,291 amateur games · White's score: 57.9%
1. · A00
1,980 amateur games · White's score: 53.7%
1. · A00
1,815 amateur games · White's score: 56.5%
1. · A00
1,538 amateur games · White's score: 56.1%
1. · A00
1,270 amateur games · White's score: 51.5%
1. 2. 3. · A05
861 amateur games · White's score: 46.6%
1. 2. 3. · A00
449 amateur games · White's score: 52.4%
1. 2. 3. · A00
292 amateur games · White's score: 53.4%
1. 2. 3. · A00
224 amateur games · White's score: 49.3%
1. 2. · A00
215 amateur games · White's score: 53.7%
1. 2. 3. · A00
168 amateur games · White's score: 49.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · A00
152 amateur games · White's score: 53.0%
1. 2. · A00
68 amateur games · White's score: 62.5%
1. · A00
26 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A00