In 81,277 Lichess games from September 2026, rated 900 to 1700, you score 50.3% with the Van Geet Opening. You start with 1.: the knight covers e4 and d5 and backs up the 2. push. Against , players rated 2200+ online choose 2. in 58 of every 100 games, and they score 50.1% with the opening. Between 1500 and 1700 your score climbs to 51.2%. The opening turns up in about 3 of every 1000 games 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.
33 named lines in this family; 1 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
After 1., your opponents rated 900 to 1700 mostly answer , in 36 of every 100 games, then , in 21. Among 2200+ players online, leads with 39 of every 100, ahead of and , while drops to 7. At your level, comes in 10 of every 100 games and in 9. Against , you play 2. in 53 of every 100 games and 2. in just 14. Strong players flip that: 2. in 58 of every 100 and 2. in 24. At your level both moves do about equally well: you score 50.9 out of 100 with 2. and 50.8 with 2..
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36.2% | 50.4% | 7.2% | no data | |
| 21.2% | 49.6% | 39.0% | 100.0% | |
| 10.0% | 50.7% | 18.9% | no data | |
| 8.6% | 49.9% | 4.5% | no data | |
| 5.0% | 50.3% | no data | no data | |
| 4.7% | 48.5% | 12.3% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 6.0% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53.0% | 50.9% | 23.5% | 100.0% | |
| 17.4% | 48.2% | 6.1% | no data | |
| 13.9% | 50.8% | 57.9% | no data | |
| 6.1% | 49.3% | 8.2% | no data | |
| 2.6% | 46.3% | 1.4% | no data | |
| 2.4% | 44.1% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.0% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55.4% | 46.6% | 43.3% | no data | |
| 29.4% | 47.8% | 41.3% | no data | |
| 6.2% | 49.7% | 5.1% | no data | |
| 3.5% | 50.0% | 4.2% | no data | |
| 2.7% | 52.0% | 6.1% | no data | |
| 1.0% | 56.7% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44.0% | 50.7% | 96.2% | no data | |
| 28.8% | 42.6% | 0.5% | no data | |
| 14.1% | 42.8% | no data | no data | |
| 8.8% | 51.4% | 3.3% | no data | |
| 2.1% | 42.7% | no data | no data | |
| 1.2% | 30.6% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65.8% | 50.6% | 54.3% | no data | |
| 10.5% | 48.5% | 3.9% | no data | |
| 10.4% | 51.3% | 35.5% | no data | |
| 6.7% | 55.7% | 2.8% | no data | |
| 2.6% | 48.5% | no data | no data | |
| 2.4% | 48.5% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.3% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 1.0% | no data |
The strong players' line runs 2. 3. 4. 5.. The plan is about your e-pawn: getting it to e4 and keeping it there. Your c3 knight backs up the e4 push. When your opponent blocks the center with a pawn on d4, that knight takes the long way round through e2 to g3, where it guards e4, and your other knight comes out to f3 to hit the e5 pawn.
2. attacks d5 with a pawn and the knight, and only Black's queen defends it. sidesteps the trade, gains space and hits your c3 knight. 3. drops back without blocking your c2 pawn, and from e2 the knight already eyes d4. props up that d4 pawn with another pawn. The order matters: your pawn goes first, and the knight only moves once the d4 pawn kicks it.
Now your e4 pawn has no defender. 4. gives it one: from g3 the knight guards e4 and eyes f5. develops and covers f5, your knight's target, and c4, where your f1 bishop could go. 5. develops with a threat: it attacks e5, which nothing defends, and adds pressure on d4.
If your opponent takes with , which happens in 29 of every 100 games at your level and 41 among strong players, your c3 knight wins the pawn back with 3. and stays in the center. 3. takes a different road: you offer your d-pawn, and its step forward opens the diagonal for your c1 bishop.
At your level the sequence goes off track early. After 2. , which your opponents pick in 55 of every 100 games, only 44 of every 100 players retreat with 3.; among strong players it's 96, and 3. turns up in only 5 of every 1000 of their games there. Jumping forward costs you: with 3. you score 42.6 out of 100 and with 3. 42.8, against 50.7 with 3.. After the retreat, comes in 66 of every 100 games, so the 4. and 5. setup is the one you'll use most.
Still, the reply you'll face most is . There, 2. attacks that pawn, which has no defender, and you score 50.9 out of 100 with it, against 48.7 after 2. and 48.6 after 2.. If your opponent defends with , 3. attacks it again, this time with a pawn.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 8,544 | 39.1% | |
| 3,322 | 57.8% | |
| 4,061 | 43.3% | |
| 1,747 | 96.2% | |
| 1,662 | 54.3% | |
| 893 | 59.0% | |
| 509 | 50.7% | |
| 246 | 46.3% |
After 2. , 3. is an inaccuracy: you offer your f-pawn. After 4. , your opponent holds it on f4 with another pawn. At your level it rarely gets punished: you play it in 9 of every 100 games and score 55.1 out of 100, more than the 51.2 you get with 3..
9 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.1%; scores 51.2%.
After 2. , 3. is an inaccuracy. After you win the pawn back with 4. and 5., but then hits c2, which your queen no longer guards; 6. has to cover it. You play it in 11 of every 100 games and at your level it rarely gets punished: 55.1 out of 100, against 53.5 with 3..
11 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 55.1%; scores 53.5%.
After , 2. is a mistake: the pawn does nothing for the center. After 3. , your opponent owns it with pawns on e5 and d4, and 4. pulls back your attacked knight. Play 2. instead, attacking e5. You play it in 3.5 of every 100 games and score 48.7 out of 100, against 50.9.
4 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1.2 pawns of advantage. It scores 48.7%; scores 50.9%.
After , 2. is an inaccuracy. Your opponent takes the center with , and after 3. 4., hits your c3 knight, which goes back to b1 with 5.. Play 2. instead, attacking the e5 pawn. You play it in 5 of every 100 games and score 48.6 out of 100, against 50.9.
5 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 48.6%; scores 50.9%.
After 2. , the bishop attacks your c3 knight, the lone defender of e4. 3. holds the pawn but is an inaccuracy: after 4. 5. 6., your opponent trades the bishop for your knight. 3. is better: it hits the bishop, and your e4 pawn protects it. You score 51.3 out of 100, against 54.
6 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 51.3%; scores 54.0%.
After 2. , your opponent is preparing . 3. is an inaccuracy: after , the punishing line has you play 4. anyway, so your d-pawn spends two moves reaching a square 3. gets to in one, hitting e5, which has no defender. At your level it shows: you score 50.4 out of 100, against 59.5.
6 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 50.4%; scores 59.5%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 21,160 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 13,924 |
| Not castled | 11,107 | |
| 10,744 | ||
| Not castled | 7,856 | |
| Not castled | 5,889 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | ||
| 1 |
1. · 20,280 amateur games
leaves a central pawn undefended, and 2. hits it: you score 49.6 out of 100.
1. 2. 3. · 6,764 amateur games
After , 3. offers a pawn rather than recapturing: you score 53.9 out of 100.
1. 2. 3. · 3,779 amateur games
After 2. , 3. hits e5 with pawn and knight: you score 53.5 out of 100.
1. 2. 3. · B01
2,757 amateur games · White's score: 48.2%
1. 2. 3. 4. · B00
1,282 amateur games · White's score: 56.5%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A00
810 amateur games · White's score: 48.6%
1. 2. · A00
742 amateur games · White's score: 48.1%
1. 2. 3. · A00
636 amateur games · White's score: 45.6%
1. 2. · A00
517 amateur games · White's score: 51.5%
1. 2. 3. · A00
438 amateur games · White's score: 47.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C31
312 amateur games · White's score: 48.1%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A00
127 amateur games · White's score: 48.0%
1. · A00
89 amateur games · White's score: 61.8%
1. 2. 3. · A00
77 amateur games · White's score: 59.7%
1. 2. 3. · A00
77 amateur games · White's score: 55.8%
1. 2. 3. · A00
71 amateur games · White's score: 34.5%
1. 2. · A00
66 amateur games · White's score: 49.2%
1. 2. 3. · A00
64 amateur games · White's score: 50.0%
1. 2. · A00
51 amateur games · White's score: 58.8%
1. 2. · A00
19 amateur games · White's score: 52.6%
1. 2. 3. · A00
11 amateur games · White's score: 54.5%
1. 2. 3. · A00
8 amateur games · White's score: 37.5%
1. 2. · A00
7 amateur games · White's score: 57.1%
1. 2. 3. · A00
6 amateur games · White's score: 16.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A00
5 amateur games · White's score: 40.0%
1. 2. 3. · A00
5 amateur games · White's score: 80.0%
1. 2. 3. · A00
4 amateur games · White's score: 25.0%
1. 2. · A00
3 amateur games · White's score: 33.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · A00
1 amateur game · White's score: 0.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · A00
1. 2. · A00