With 1. 2. you hold d5 with a pawn and keep your c8 bishop's diagonal open, so it can come out to f5 or g4 before you play e6. Across 225,773 Lichess games rated 900 to 1700 (September 2026), you score 47%, and every rating band lands close to that.
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.
35 named lines in this family; 2 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
At your level, half your opponents answer with 3.. Among Lichess players rated 2200 and up, the usual choice is 3., at 41 in 100. After 3., strong players reply in 82 games out of 100. At your level only 38 do, and more than 1 in 3 bring the bishop out first with or . After 4., players at your level split between (29 in 100), (28) and (22), while strong players prefer (40), (26) and (15). One game in 4 reaches the position through the move order 1. 2. .
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50.3% | 53.2% | 36.9% | 13.3% | |
| 16.3% | 53.1% | 40.8% | 66.6% | |
| 12.7% | 52.3% | 17.2% | 18.4% | |
| 11.0% | 52.1% | 3.7% | 1.7% | |
| 4.3% | 50.0% | no data | no data | |
| 2.3% | 53.7% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.7% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.2% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37.6% | 52.4% | 81.6% | 97.3% | |
| 18.2% | 51.4% | 2.0% | no data | |
| 18.0% | 53.9% | 0.8% | no data | |
| 11.8% | 52.9% | 12.4% | 2.7% | |
| 7.7% | 57.5% | 2.0% | no data | |
| 1.5% | 50.1% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.5% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48.3% | 52.8% | 49.7% | 52.3% | |
| 14.2% | 50.4% | 21.3% | 29.2% | |
| 12.8% | 54.1% | 10.1% | 3.4% | |
| 10.0% | 52.2% | no data | no data | |
| 6.1% | 53.0% | no data | no data | |
| 6.0% | 50.3% | 7.4% | 9.3% | |
| no data | no data | 6.3% | 3.2% | |
| no data | no data | 2.6% | no data | |
| no data | no data | no data | 2.5% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29.4% | 53.5% | 2.6% | no data | |
| 28.2% | 51.0% | 8.8% | no data | |
| 22.4% | 54.3% | 39.6% | 40.8% | |
| 6.6% | 51.7% | 26.2% | 39.0% | |
| 6.0% | 52.1% | 6.7% | no data | |
| 2.4% | 54.2% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 14.8% | 20.2% |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60.6% | 53.8% | 52.1% | 41.2% | |
| 16.9% | 51.5% | 27.7% | 47.4% | |
| 10.1% | 53.9% | 2.9% | no data | |
| 5.5% | 52.2% | 7.0% | no data | |
| 2.8% | 48.8% | no data | no data | |
| 2.1% | 55.0% | 8.4% | 11.4% | |
| no data | no data | 0.8% | no data |
The strong-player line is 3. 4. 5. 6. . The point is to put off the decision that defines the Slav: what to do with the c8 bishop. You shore up d5 and tuck your king away first. The bishop waits, because as long as it stays on c8 it's the piece guarding b7.
adds a third defender to d5, alongside the c6 pawn and the queen, and it also covers e4. 4. brings a second attacker onto d5, and that's where you pick a structure. With , the choice of 40 in 100 strong players, d5 rests on two pawns, but the c8 bishop ends up stuck behind e6. You trade activity for solidity.
The other strong-player answer, , at 26 in 100, stays truer to the idea behind . You take the pawn, and if 5. follows, taking aim at b5 so your b-pawn can't hold c4 comfortably, the bishop comes out with before your e-pawn moves. That's the Czech Variation, and you'll rarely see it at your level.
If you go , development comes next. 5. hits the f6 knight, which is screening your queen on d8, and steps into that diagonal. After 6. your opponent backs up d4 with a pawn on top of the queen and the f3 knight, and completes your kingside.
At your level the sequence breaks down on move 3. Against 3., 20 in 100 players go ; against 3., 18 do. Either way b7 loses its defender, and that's what 4. punishes, or 5. after 4. . With both knights already out, is your best-scoring reply to 4., at 49 in 100. Move order matters: knight to f6 first, bishop later.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 28,692 | 41.3% | |
| 15,678 | 81.9% | |
| 19,087 | 49.8% | |
| 14,462 | 39.6% | |
| 10,979 | 51.8% | |
| 5,339 | 33.8% | |
| 1,856 | 99.3% | |
| 1,695 | 42.8% |
Against 3., pulls away the bishop that was guarding b7, and 4. goes straight for that pawn. After 5. 6. you're a pawn down. It's a mistake, played by 20 in 100, but at your level it often goes unpunished: you score 47 in 100, nearly the same as with (48).
20 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.2 pawns of advantage. It scores 46.9%; scores 47.6%.
After 3. 4., puts the bishop where 5. can hit it. The line runs 6. 7. : the bishop goes home while your opponent keeps developing. It's an inaccuracy you won't feel at your level: 29 in 100 play it and score 46.5, a bit more than with (45.7).
29 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 46.5%; scores 45.7%.
brings the bishop out before the g8 knight. After 4. , 5. attacks it and the line sends it back with . Once 6. is played, you've spent two bishop moves to end up on c8 again. It's an inaccuracy, rarely punished at your level: 18 in 100 play it and score 46, against 48 with .
18 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 46.1%; scores 47.6%.
After 3., leaves b7 without its defender. Once 4. clears c4, 5. hits b7 and d5 at the same time, so the bishop drops back with , and then 6. strikes d5 again. It's an inaccuracy that rarely gets punished at your level: you score 48.6 in 100 with it, against 47.6 with .
18 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 48.6%; scores 47.6%.
After 3., taking back with brings your queen to the center too early, and 4. hits it with tempo. After 5. 6., your opponent has pawns on d4 and e4 and two pieces developed. Best is . It's a mistake: 6 in 100 play it and score 42, against 48 when they recapture with the pawn.
6 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.4 pawns of advantage. It scores 42.2%; scores 48.2%.
In the Alekhine Attack, after 3. 4., the move doesn't hold the c4 pawn and locks in your c8 bishop. 5. wins the pawn back and leaves your opponent with d4 and e4. Best is , which props up c4. This one costs you: 15 in 100 play it and score 40, against 47 with .
15 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.3 pawns of advantage. It scores 39.9%; scores 46.6%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 124,252 | ||
| Not castled | 29,205 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 29,079 |
| Not castled | 22,227 | |
| 6,942 | ||
| 6,401 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 321 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 44 |
| Not castled | 44 | |
| Not castled | 43 | |
| Not castled | 18 | |
| 18 |
1. 2. 3. · 26,765 amateur games · 44 over the board
3. protects d4 and holds back the b1 knight: you score 46 in 100.
1. 2. 3. 4. · 22,229 amateur games · 125 over the board
After 3. , 4. shuts in the c1 bishop to support d4: you score almost 50 in 100.
1. 2. 3. 4. · 21,436 amateur games
After 3. , 4. adds a second attacker on d5: you score 47 in 100.
1. 2. 3. 4. · 9,480 amateur games · 1 over the board
After 3. , 4. builds a pawn center on d4 and e4: you score 43 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · D10
2,937 amateur games · White's score: 47.8%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D15
2,506 amateur games · White's score: 51.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D11
2,451 amateur games · White's score: 51.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D15
2,033 amateur games · White's score: 52.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D15
1,039 amateur games · White's score: 51.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D15
664 amateur games · White's score: 56.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D15
622 amateur games · White's score: 52.6%
1. 2. 3. · D10
577 amateur games · White's score: 53.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D11
245 amateur games · White's score: 53.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D17
232 amateur games · White's score: 53.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D16
222 amateur games · White's score: 56.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D16
147 amateur games · White's score: 57.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D16
99 amateur games · White's score: 59.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D18
72 amateur games · White's score: 54.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · D19
57 amateur games · White's score: 50.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D15
45 amateur games · White's score: 47.8%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D15
43 amateur games · White's score: 53.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. · D10
39 amateur games · White's score: 59.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. · D19
9 amateur games · White's score: 61.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D17
6 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D17
6 amateur games · White's score: 66.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D17
5 amateur games · White's score: 60.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. · D16
5 amateur games · White's score: 60.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · D17
1 amateur game · White's score: 100.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · D17
1 amateur game · White's score: 0.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. · D17
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. · D19
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · D17
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · D18
It's meeting 1. 2. with . You defend d5 with a pawn without blocking in your c8 bishop, which can still reach f5 or g4. Between 900 and 1700 it shows up in fewer than 1 game in 100, and more often as ratings climb: 4 in 1000 at 900 to 1100, almost 10 in 1000 at 1500 to 1700.
It's a steady one. You score 47 in 100 at your level, and the number barely moves between bands: 46.6 at 900 to 1100, 46.9 at 1100 to 1300. What it asks of you is move order. Get the g8 knight out before the c8 bishop, and after 3. recapture with the pawn, not the queen.
Against 3., play , the choice of 82 in 100 strong players. If your c8 bishop leaves first, nothing guards b7, and your opponent's queen can go after it from b3. Against 3., the same logic applies: scores 48 in 100, while drops the b7 pawn if your opponent finds 4..