Chess openings by rating
How opening choices change with rating.
Opening choices shift steadily with rating. Below 1200, 1...e5 leads against 1.e4 and 1...d5 against 1.d4; by 2000 and up, 1...c5 and 1...Nf6 have taken over. Each rating group has its own page with its top openings and the lines it leans toward or away from.
The top two choices at each level
| Rating | White's first move | Against 1.e4 | Against 1.d4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | 1.e4 64%, 1.d4 20% | 1...e5 57%, 1...d5 12% | 1...d5 54%, 1...e6 15% |
| 1200–1399 | 1.e4 65%, 1.d4 20% | 1...e5 54%, 1...c5 13% | 1...d5 58%, 1...e6 13% |
| 1400–1599 | 1.e4 66%, 1.d4 23% | 1...e5 48%, 1...c5 19% | 1...d5 52%, 1...Nf6 15% |
| 1600–1799 | 1.e4 61%, 1.d4 25% | 1...e5 39%, 1...c5 24% | 1...d5 44%, 1...Nf6 22% |
| 1800–1999 | 1.e4 59%, 1.d4 28% | 1...e5 30%, 1...c5 29% | 1...d5 36%, 1...Nf6 32% |
| 2000 and up | 1.e4 54%, 1.d4 29% | 1...c5 37%, 1...e5 25% | 1...Nf6 45%, 1...d5 28% |
Openings by rating
- All ratings compared
- Under 1200
- 1200–1399
- 1400–1599
- 1600–1799
- 1800–1999
- 2000 and up
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