The Réti Opening starts 1. 2.: rather than occupy the centre, you hit d5 with a flank pawn, then fianchetto your light-squared bishop on g2 to work along the long diagonal. Across 25,588 Lichess games from September 2026, rated 900 to 1700, you score 55% with White. Online players rated 2200 and above score 53.6%.
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.
20 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
After 2., 40 in 100 opponents at your level grab the pawn with . Next comes at 18 in 100, then and at 12 each. Online players rated 2200 and above rarely take: fewer than 8 in 100 do. They hold d5 with (32 in 100) or (28), or push past it with (26). The capture is where you score best, 57 in 100; against and you drop to 52. Nearly every game gets here through 1.; very few arrive via 1. 2..
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 39.6% | 56.8% | 7.5% | 3.5% | |
| 18.4% | 52.0% | 26.3% | 24.7% | |
| 12.3% | 55.4% | 4.8% | no data | |
| 11.9% | 51.7% | 27.9% | 15.3% | |
| 9.3% | 52.6% | 32.3% | 56.5% | |
| 2.4% | 56.0% | 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+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36.3% | 54.2% | 4.1% | no data | |
| 19.4% | 51.0% | 22.1% | 35.0% | |
| 17.2% | 54.8% | 19.3% | 13.2% | |
| 14.3% | 54.6% | 42.3% | 51.7% | |
| 7.4% | 52.5% | 10.5% | no data | |
| 4.5% | 51.7% | 0.8% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49.6% | 55.5% | 72.0% | 72.3% | |
| 21.7% | 51.0% | 6.0% | 10.9% | |
| 14.1% | 53.0% | 5.3% | no data | |
| 8.0% | 59.6% | 7.6% | 5.0% | |
| 3.8% | 66.7% | no data | no data | |
| 2.8% | 52.5% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 3.9% | 11.8% | |
| no data | no data | 1.8% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 87.4% | 56.0% | 87.2% | 94.7% | |
| 12.6% | 57.1% | 0.7% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 8.8% | 5.3% | |
| no data | no data | 3.4% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48.3% | 54.5% | 13.4% | 10.3% | |
| 17.7% | 54.9% | 54.3% | 65.8% | |
| 12.9% | 53.3% | no data | no data | |
| 12.5% | 46.6% | 7.4% | no data | |
| 8.6% | 60.0% | 5.8% | 1.5% | |
| no data | no data | 7.5% | 13.8% | |
| no data | no data | 6.1% | 8.5% |
Strong players follow 3. 4. , both sides castling short, and 6.. You're aiming for a set-up rather than a square: your light-squared bishop on g2 along the long diagonal, your king tucked in behind it, and your c4 pawn backed by b3. You don't put pawns in the centre. You lean on it from the sides, and d5 is where you lean hardest.
With your opponent props up d5 with a pawn. Right now only your c4 pawn attacks it, while the e6 pawn and the d8 queen defend it. So there's no reason to rush the trade. At your level 36 in 100 play 3. here and release the tension; among strong online players, just 4 in 100 do.
3. makes room on g2, and 4. puts the bishop there. For now your f3 knight blocks its diagonal. Once the knight moves, the bishop sees e4 and d5 and adds to the pressure from c4. In this structure, strong online players pick the fianchetto in 58 of 100 games; the next most common home for the bishop is e2, at 12 in 100.
The move order has a reason. While the bishop sits on f1 you can't castle, so 4. has to come before you castle. Your king lands on g1 with the bishop right in front of it and pawns on f2, g3 and h2 around it.
Your opponent usually answers with and , a quiet development. Among strong players, 55 in 100 choose . At your level only 18 in 100 do, and close to half take on c4 with .
6. rounds off the plan. The b3 pawn guards c4, so if your opponent plays you recapture with a pawn, not a piece. It also clears b2 for your c1 bishop, which from there looks down the other long diagonal, through d4 and e5 towards f6.
At your level this line is rare: only 9 in 100 opponents play . The usual reply is , and then your f1 bishop has a different job. 3. opens its diagonal to c4 so it can go after the pawn.
Plan played in 52% of the 155 over-the-board games rated 2300+ with this structure.
Online, 2200+: 57.7% of 9,377. Over the board, 2300+: 51.6% of 155; the alternative, : 11.9% and 13.5%; the alternative, : 4.6% and 5.2%; the alternative, : 4.8% and 4.5%; the alternative, : 1.3% and 1.9%.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 8,794 | 32.7% | |
| 6,322 | 42.7% | |
| 2,939 | 72.0% | |
| 4,495 | 87.6% | |
| 7,054 | 54.9% | |
| 3,821 | 90.5% | |
| 4,259 | 96.7% | |
| 3,970 | 50.6% |
After 3. , 4. leaves the tension on d5 and lets your opponent shore it up with : the e6 pawn, the knight and the queen now all defend d5. 4. was better, forcing a recapture before that pawn arrives. 45.5 in 100 players choose it here; with it you score 54.7, against 60.7 after the trade.
46 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.3 pawns of advantage. It scores 54.7%; scores 60.7%.
In the same position, 4. shuts your c1 bishop in behind the d4 and e3 pawns, leaving it only d2. After 5. 6. you push the bishop back, but your pawn no longer hits d5. 15 in 100 choose it; you score 55.8, against 60.7 with 4.. At your level it often goes unpunished.
15 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.3 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.8%; scores 60.7%.
After , 4. does nothing for d4, which the c6 knight already attacks. Your opponent takes with , and after 5. a pawn joins the attack on d4. Following 6. , the queen hits your e5 knight and the f2 pawn. 8 in 100 play it and you still score 55.6: at your level it often goes unpunished.
8 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.8 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.6%; scores 60.7%.
After , 4. puts the bishop where can hit it. Play goes 5. 6. 7.: you've given your bishop and your f3 knight for both enemy knights, and your f-pawns end up doubled on the kingside. 7 in 100 play it and you still score 57.2: at your level it often goes unpunished.
7 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 57.2%; scores 60.7%.
After 3. , 4. clears e2, so your f3 knight is now pinned to the queen. After 5. 6. 7., that knight has been traded off for the bishop. 28 in 100 play 4.; with it you score 53.3, against 59.3 with 4..
28 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.8 pawns of advantage. It scores 53.3%; scores 59.3%.
After , 4. does nothing for c4, and takes the pawn. After 5. your opponent hands it back to open lines: following 6., gives check and you block with 7., pulling your knight off f3. 4 in 100 play it and you still score 56.5: at your level it often goes unpunished.
4 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 56.5%; scores 60.7%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 12,136 | ||
| Not castled | 4,234 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 3,929 |
| 2,161 | ||
| Not castled | 1,768 | |
| Not castled | 678 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 120 | ||
| Not castled | 10 | |
| Not castled | 8 | |
| 6 | ||
| 5 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 4 |
1. 2. · 11,459 amateur games · 6 over the board
grabs your pawn; 3. opens your bishop's path to c4. You score 57 in 100.
1. 2. · 5,410 amateur games · 38 over the board
gains space and covers c3 and e3: you score 52 in 100.
1. 2. 3. 4. · 3,744 amateur games · 101 over the board
Reached via 1.: prepares a supported , and 4. guards c4. You score 53 in 100.
1. 2. 3. · A09
659 amateur games · White's score: 51.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A09
281 amateur games · White's score: 53.0%
1. 2. · A09
3 amateur games · White's score: 100.0%
1. 2. 3. · A09
At your level it holds up well. Between 900 and 1700 you score 55 in 100 with it, and that barely shifts from one rating band to the next, staying between 54 and 55. Online players rated 2200 and above score 53.6 in 100. Your best result comes against , the most common reply, at 57 in 100.
It's the opening that arises after 1. 2.. Your knight comes out before any central pawn, and the c4 pawn attacks d5 from the side instead of meeting it head-on. The usual follow-up is a kingside fianchetto, with the bishop on g2 eyeing the long diagonal. It turns up in fewer than 1 in 1000 games between 900 and 1700.
Open with 1. and meet with 2.. Against , strong players continue 3. and 4., castle, and play 6. so a capture on c4 can be met with a pawn. Against , which 40 in 100 opponents at your level choose, 3. lets your f1 bishop head for c4.