Tier list

Chess opening tier list
for 600 rated players.

Openings graded S to D by what actually wins at rating band 600 (under 1000), rapid and blitz pooled. Every grade is backed by win rate, popularity, blunder resistance and sample size. Switch the band in the header to see the ladder rearrange.

Showing 54 of 299 graded openings at band 600.

King's Knight OpeningC4052.1%n = 950,740Queen's GambitD0653.7%n = 77,143Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight AttackC5756.6%n = 37,919Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Linksspringer VariationB0057.1%n = 11,137Italian Game: Classical VariationC5354.7%n = 8,545Vienna Game: Vienna GambitC2958.1%n = 6,040
King's Pawn GameB0050.2%n = 2,849,881Queen's Pawn GameA4049.9%n = 836,518Bishop's OpeningC2350.9%n = 228,138Italian GameC5052.0%n = 217,726King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen AttackC2050.3%n = 162,535Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London SystemD0053.0%n = 99,835Scotch GameC4452.9%n = 75,690Petrov's Defense: Three Knights GameC4252.7%n = 72,984Ruy LopezC6051.7%n = 64,749English OpeningA1048.5%n = 57,286Philidor DefenseC4152.9%n = 42,445Center Game AcceptedC2150.0%n = 42,251Petrov's DefenseC4256.5%n = 40,743Pirc DefenseB0050.2%n = 33,532Nimzo-Larsen AttackA0148.7%n = 25,312Philidor DefenseC4153.2%n = 25,012Center Game: Normal VariationC2254.2%n = 20,972Caro-Kann Defense: Advance VariationB1251.9%n = 16,212Queen's Gambit Accepted: Saduleto VariationD2055.0%n = 14,336Rapport-Jobava SystemD0154.2%n = 13,000Nimzowitsch DefenseB0053.2%n = 10,375King's Gambit Accepted: King's Knight's GambitC3453.9%n = 8,459Queen's Pawn Game: London System, with e6D0253.0%n = 7,395Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old VariationD2054.9%n = 6,580Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Advance VariationB0052.7%n = 6,487Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight VariationD3153.1%n = 5,543Blackmar-Diemer GambitD0051.9%n = 5,494Danish GambitC2150.7%n = 5,410Center Game: Kieseritzky VariationC2150.8%n = 4,465Italian Game: Classical Variation, Center AttackC5456.0%n = 4,303Ruy Lopez: Berlin DefenseC6555.3%n = 4,084Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice LineC5756.4%n = 3,659English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal VariationA3454.6%n = 2,275Alekhine DefenseB0355.9%n = 1,817Benoni Defense: Old BenoniA4353.5%n = 1,143
King's Pawn GameC2044.7%n = 1,775,723King's Knight Opening: Normal VariationC4445.2%n = 527,948Queen's Pawn GameD0045.4%n = 457,398Scandinavian DefenseB0145.8%n = 306,387French DefenseC0047.3%n = 163,083Three Knights OpeningC4647.9%n = 152,369Sicilian DefenseB2048.8%n = 130,324Four Knights GameC4745.5%n = 128,211Van't Kruijs OpeningA0046.7%n = 127,956Caro-Kann DefenseB1049.1%n = 127,035Zukertort OpeningA0448.2%n = 114,838Vienna GameC2549.5%n = 114,542Center GameC2049.6%n = 111,727Four Knights Game: Italian VariationC4750.1%n = 89,993Pirc DefenseB0045.9%n = 89,921Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort VariationD0250.0%n = 86,430Bishop's Opening: Berlin DefenseC2448.7%n = 76,128Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin VariationD0048.8%n = 74,014Queen's Pawn GameD0047.2%n = 73,350Indian DefenseA4548.4%n = 60,759French Defense: Normal VariationC0050.2%n = 59,304French Defense: Knight VariationC0049.7%n = 58,759King's Pawn Game: Napoleon AttackC2050.6%n = 48,305Petrov's Defense: Italian VariationC4251.2%n = 48,221Sicilian DefenseB2749.3%n = 44,473Hungarian OpeningA0048.9%n = 41,973Zukertort OpeningA0648.0%n = 41,610Caro-Kann DefenseB1249.9%n = 41,385Modern DefenseB0647.8%n = 39,789King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, Kiddie CountergambitC2050.2%n = 38,235Scotch GameC4444.7%n = 36,714Queen's Pawn GameA4146.0%n = 31,467Center GameC2144.3%n = 28,387French DefenseC0048.0%n = 28,060King's GambitC3050.9%n = 27,129Four Knights Game: Spanish VariationC4849.1%n = 26,814Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's OpeningC5552.3%n = 24,163Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights VariationC5050.1%n = 22,730Nimzowitsch Defense: Declined VariationB0052.7%n = 21,897Four Knights Game: Scotch VariationC4752.2%n = 21,458Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed FrenchA4049.9%n = 18,504Queen's Pawn Game: Modern DefenseA4049.1%n = 17,932Scotch Game: Lolli VariationC4454.0%n = 15,804Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra GambitB2147.5%n = 15,485Pirc DefenseB0048.5%n = 14,672Mieses Opening: Reversed RatA0050.7%n = 14,650Italian Game: Giuoco PianissimoC5050.8%n = 13,626Zukertort Opening: Black Mustang DefenseA0448.7%n = 13,604Caro-Kann DefenseB1550.3%n = 12,872Vienna Game: Anderssen DefenseC2547.7%n = 12,287Caro-Kann DefenseB1046.6%n = 12,214English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed SicilianA2151.6%n = 11,342Bird Opening: Dutch VariationA0350.9%n = 11,012Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch CounterattackC4448.0%n = 10,473Zukertort OpeningA0545.9%n = 10,472King's Pawn Game: MacLeod AttackC2047.4%n = 9,661French Defense: Paulsen VariationC1048.8%n = 9,359Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange VariationB1345.6%n = 9,136Scandinavian Defense: Modern VariationB0148.8%n = 8,826Queen's Pawn Game: London SystemD0253.6%n = 8,757French Defense: Advance VariationC0251.1%n = 7,690King's Indian AttackA0749.4%n = 6,475Pirc Defense: Classical VariationB0847.6%n = 6,279Zukertort Opening: Pirc InvitationA0447.5%n = 5,442Scotch Game: Scotch GambitC4454.6%n = 4,597Philidor Defense: Exchange VariationC4152.3%n = 4,020French Defense: Exchange VariationC0149.9%n = 3,985Sicilian Defense: OpenB3251.3%n = 3,864English Opening: Agincourt DefenseA1347.6%n = 3,483English Opening: Anglo-Indian DefenseA1548.9%n = 3,201Sicilian Defense: Alapin VariationB2250.3%n = 3,192Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio DefenseC5853.2%n = 2,979French Defense: Exchange VariationC0150.3%n = 2,808Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit AcceptedC4249.9%n = 2,409Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco PianissimoC5452.2%n = 2,271Réti OpeningA0952.4%n = 1,950Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo AttackB3051.7%n = 1,886Ruy Lopez: Steinitz DefenseC6253.4%n = 1,812Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights VariationD3753.0%n = 1,607French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen AttackC0247.8%n = 1,423Dutch DefenseA8453.6%n = 1,364Modern Defense: Standard LineB0651.2%n = 1,191Slav Defense: Three Knights VariationD1551.6%n = 1,171King's Indian Defense: Normal VariationE7053.3%n = 777Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern VariationD5054.2%n = 757Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with d6B5049.3%n = 487
Philidor DefenseC4143.5%n = 106,766Italian Game: Two Knights DefenseC5543.4%n = 103,069Englund GambitA4043.7%n = 83,695Horwitz DefenseA4045.1%n = 74,974Alekhine DefenseB0243.7%n = 71,999King's Pawn Game: Leonardis VariationC2045.8%n = 64,907Four Knights Game: Italian VariationC5045.7%n = 60,128King's Pawn Game: Busch-Gass GambitC4043.0%n = 55,271Nimzowitsch DefenseB0043.3%n = 54,348Italian Game: Giuoco PianoC5045.8%n = 53,841Vienna Game: Falkbeer VariationC2646.3%n = 47,914Van Geet OpeningA0045.8%n = 38,747Caro-Kann DefenseB1247.0%n = 38,371Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin VariationD0246.3%n = 37,955Mieses OpeningA0044.3%n = 36,472Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin VariationA4547.9%n = 34,870Vienna Game: Max Lange DefenseC2546.2%n = 33,907Bird OpeningA0243.8%n = 30,145King's Pawn Game: McConnell DefenseC4043.5%n = 29,426Owen DefenseB0045.8%n = 29,267English Opening: King's English VariationA2047.7%n = 27,762Scotch GameC4551.2%n = 24,911Sicilian Defense: Bowdler AttackB2046.9%n = 23,888Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy VariationB0043.3%n = 23,712Sicilian Defense: Old SicilianB3047.4%n = 20,270Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver DefenseC5047.4%n = 20,076French Defense: Advance VariationC0250.5%n = 19,644Ponziani OpeningC4449.9%n = 19,079Vienna Game: Stanley VariationC2649.6%n = 18,790Queen's Pawn GameD0049.3%n = 17,953Ruy Lopez: Morphy DefenseC7042.5%n = 15,381Scandinavian Defense: Valencian VariationB0141.5%n = 14,606French Defense: Queen's KnightC0048.9%n = 14,172Queen's Gambit DeclinedD3044.1%n = 14,070Saragossa OpeningA0045.5%n = 13,966Indian Defense: Knights VariationA4647.4%n = 13,530Indian Defense: Accelerated London SystemA4550.0%n = 13,342Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin VariationD0046.8%n = 12,809Caro-Kann DefenseB1049.5%n = 12,566Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern VariationA0148.1%n = 11,996Scandinavian Defense: Main LineB0145.5%n = 11,808Benoni Defense: Old BenoniA4345.3%n = 11,539Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian VariationB0246.0%n = 11,167Sicilian Defense: Modern VariationsB5048.0%n = 10,490Zukertort Opening: Queen's Gambit InvitationA0446.3%n = 10,415English DefenseA4045.8%n = 10,336Dutch DefenseA8044.7%n = 10,290Modern DefenseB0647.8%n = 9,884Slav DefenseD1044.8%n = 9,881Polish OpeningA0044.6%n = 9,818Queen's Pawn Game: Colle SystemD0449.6%n = 9,744Ruy Lopez: Exchange VariationC6852.4%n = 9,559Indian Defense: Normal VariationA5050.3%n = 9,061French Defense: Steinitz AttackC0048.2%n = 8,573Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange VariationB1350.9%n = 8,482English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian DefenseA1045.4%n = 7,286Rat Defense: Small Center DefenseC0043.2%n = 7,139Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić GambitC5050.3%n = 7,082Sicilian Defense: French VariationB4049.6%n = 6,623Italian Game: Classical VariationC5442.5%n = 6,564Englund Gambit: Hartlaub-Charlick GambitA4044.1%n = 6,519Sicilian Defense: Closed, TraditionalB2350.0%n = 6,055French Defense: King's Indian AttackC0046.0%n = 6,015Philidor Defense: Exchange VariationC4143.4%n = 5,921Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical VariationA0146.7%n = 5,490Pirc Defense: Classical VariationB0848.0%n = 5,175Caro-Kann Defense: Main LineB1549.6%n = 5,004Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit AcceptedA4350.7%n = 4,635Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern VariationA0149.4%n = 4,527Petrov's Defense: Stafford GambitC4246.4%n = 4,371French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch SystemC0245.8%n = 4,262Scandinavian Defense: Blackburne-Kloosterboer GambitB0140.3%n = 4,149Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short VariationB1251.6%n = 3,948Zukertort Opening: Sicilian InvitationA0447.5%n = 3,926East Indian DefenseA4850.9%n = 3,918Old Indian DefenseA4150.8%n = 3,900Slav DefenseD1053.0%n = 3,780Englund Gambit: Main LineA4051.1%n = 3,533Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Botvinnik-Carls DefenseB1249.0%n = 3,466Scotch Game: Classical VariationC4550.4%n = 3,406Sicilian DefenseB5049.6%n = 2,999French Defense: Classical VariationC1147.3%n = 2,795French Defense: Advance VariationC0247.0%n = 2,702Sicilian Defense: OpenB3247.3%n = 2,631Caro-Kann Defense: Classical VariationB1846.6%n = 2,464Modern Defense: Two Knights VariationB0649.2%n = 2,339Sicilian Defense: ClosedB2351.7%n = 2,251Trompowsky AttackA4546.6%n = 2,059Slav Defense: Modern LineD1153.4%n = 1,952English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive SystemA1148.6%n = 1,927Sicilian DefenseB5048.1%n = 1,874Italian Game: Hungarian DefenseC5046.4%n = 1,640French Defense: Advance VariationC0252.0%n = 1,404English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight VariationA1648.1%n = 1,390King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer CountergambitC3148.6%n = 1,036Sicilian Defense: French Variation, OpenB4050.4%n = 1,013Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main LineB5448.7%n = 731Indian Defense: Anti-Nimzo-IndianE1050.6%n = 597Nimzo-Indian DefenseE2047.2%n = 464Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ryder GambitD0047.5%n = 448Vienna Game: Frankenstein-Dracula VariationC2751.3%n = 398Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit AcceptedC4252.5%n = 320
Petrov's DefenseC4240.7%n = 142,567Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc VariationB0141.7%n = 96,492King's Pawn Game: Damiano DefenseC4040.0%n = 35,899Mikenas DefenseA4043.4%n = 34,572Bishop's Opening: Boi VariationC2339.7%n = 34,392Queen's Gambit AcceptedD2041.7%n = 34,031Blackmar-Diemer GambitD0043.9%n = 27,577Zukertort Opening: Tennison GambitA0645.6%n = 27,492Petrov's Defense: Damiano VariationC4234.5%n = 23,058Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical VariationD0245.4%n = 21,992Ruy Lopez: Berlin DefenseC6543.9%n = 21,262Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack, Normal VariationC5744.9%n = 20,854Elephant GambitC4042.3%n = 20,278Italian Game: Paris DefenseC5043.8%n = 19,212Caro-Kann Defense: Hillbilly AttackB1042.5%n = 17,566King's Pawn Game: Maróczy DefenseB0744.1%n = 17,543Grob OpeningA0040.4%n = 16,876Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, NormalC5045.5%n = 16,535Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall DefenseD0644.2%n = 14,374Sicilian Defense: ClosedB2347.2%n = 14,195King's Gambit AcceptedC3345.0%n = 11,924Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation AcceptedC4744.5%n = 11,216Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Three Knights VariationC2846.0%n = 10,807English Opening: The WhaleC2043.4%n = 9,728Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights AttackB1046.9%n = 8,396Ruy Lopez: Steinitz DefenseC6245.3%n = 7,029French Defense: Exchange VariationC0147.4%n = 6,984Ruy Lopez: Classical VariationC6447.9%n = 6,948Barnes OpeningA0037.6%n = 6,726Pirc DefenseB0747.0%n = 6,337Queen's Pawn Game: Levitsky AttackD0043.8%n = 6,129Alekhine Defense: Normal VariationB0240.7%n = 5,894St. George DefenseB0040.7%n = 5,629King's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight DefenseC3047.1%n = 5,595English Opening: Symmetrical VariationA3042.7%n = 5,397Caro-Kann DefenseB1547.2%n = 5,083French Defense: Franco-Sicilian DefenseC0048.8%n = 4,296Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane VariationB2044.3%n = 4,293Petrov's DefenseC4242.2%n = 4,271Danish Gambit AcceptedC2143.8%n = 4,127Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Dubois Réti DefenseC4445.7%n = 4,114Queen's Pawn Game: Colle SystemD0544.9%n = 4,075Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal DefenseD3546.0%n = 3,415French Defense: La Bourdonnais VariationC0045.7%n = 3,301English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights VariationA2245.2%n = 3,245Queen's Pawn Game: London System, with e6D0242.8%n = 3,068Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin CountergambitD0842.5%n = 2,973King's Gambit Accepted: MacLeod DefenseC3444.2%n = 2,953Indian Defense: West Indian DefenseE6048.3%n = 2,836Scandinavian Defense: Gubinsky-Melts DefenseB0140.8%n = 2,525Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange VariationB1346.0%n = 2,467Sicilian Defense: McDonnell AttackB2147.7%n = 2,292Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated DragonB2749.1%n = 2,204Sicilian Defense: OpenB3250.1%n = 2,198Old Indian DefenseA5348.0%n = 1,795King's Indian DefenseE6151.0%n = 1,551English Opening: Great Snake VariationA1048.3%n = 1,349Philidor DefenseC4145.4%n = 1,164Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Move OrderD3145.1%n = 1,040King's Indian Defense: Normal VariationE7045.4%n = 788King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight VariationE6045.3%n = 740King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Rare DefensesE9051.4%n = 627Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra GambitB2147.7%n = 627Semi-Slav DefenseD4345.7%n = 530Sicilian Defense: Accelerated DragonB3252.4%n = 492Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit AcceptedB2148.1%n = 435Sicilian Defense: Löwenthal VariationB3246.3%n = 423Indian Defense: Budapest GambitA5147.2%n = 362Sicilian Defense: Taimanov VariationB4452.2%n = 339Sicilian Defense: Taimanov VariationB4548.9%n = 319

Band 600. 299 graded openings, sample sizes from 319 to 2,849,881 games, win rates shown for each opening's own color. Source period 2026-05.