The Best Chess Openings for Black at Every Rating (From Real Lichess Games)

TL;DR

Short answer	Black needs two openings: one against 1.e4 and one against 1.d4. Pick the pair that matches your rating, then your style.
Under 1000	Scandinavian against 1.e4, Slav against 1.d4
1000 to 1400	Caro-Kann or Petroff against 1.e4, Slav or Queen's Gambit Accepted against 1.d4
1400 to 1800	Caro-Kann or Petroff against 1.e4, Nimzo-Indian or King's Indian against 1.d4
1800 and up	Sicilian Najdorf or Petroff against 1.e4, Grünfeld, King's Indian or Nimzo-Indian against 1.d4
Where the picks come from	Each of our 17 Black openings is built from Lichess games at its own rating range, so we can see what your opponents really play against it, not what masters play.

Why Black needs two openings, not one

White chooses the first move, so your opening as Black is always an answer to something. The two first moves you'll meet most are 1.e4 and 1.d4, and they lead to very different games. That means a working repertoire for Black is a pair: one defense against 1.e4 and one against 1.d4.

Two is enough for most players under about 1600. Our article on how many openings you need goes through why adding more too early usually costs points instead of winning them.

The picks below come from one question: at your rating, what does White really play against this defense, and does the defense still hold up? Most opening books answer a different question (what works between masters). Those lists are full of lines your opponents will never play.

The picks by rating

Under 1000: Scandinavian and Slav

At this level you want openings with a plan you can repeat in every game, and as few long forcing lines as possible.

Against 1.e4: the Scandinavian Defense (1.e4 d5). You hit White's pawn on move one and the game takes a shape you'll recognize every time. At 400 to 1400 on Lichess, White's most common replies to 1...d5 are 2.exd5 (51%) and 2.e5 (18%), so you'll spend most of your time in two structures. Our Scandinavian Coach is built from about 94 million games at that range. The one thing to learn early is a queen trap: after 3...Qa5 4.d4 Nf6 5.Bd2 c6 6.Ne4, about 2% of players take the knight with 6...Nxe4?? and lose the queen to 7.Bxa5. White wins 93% of those games. Our Scandinavian article covers the rest.

Against 1.d4: the Slav Defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6). Solid pawns, a clear spot for every piece, and a bishop that gets out before ...e6. The Slav course matters at this level because White often doesn't play the Queen's Gambit at all. After 1.d4 d5, only 34% of players rated around 700 to 1700 play 2.c4. 2.Bf4 (21%), 2.Nf3 (15%) and 2.e3 (12%) are all common, so the Coach covers those as well, including the London System.

1000 to 1400: Caro-Kann or Petroff, with the Slav or the QGA

Your opponents start to know their own opening. You want a defense that stays sound when White plays the main line, but still has simple plans.

Against 1.e4: the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6). This is the most reliable all-round choice on the site, with a range of 800 to 2200. Our course is built around the line White chooses most: at that range, 3.e5 is White's most common third move (42%), and 64% of players answer it with 3...Bf5. It also prepares you for the attacking tries. After 3...Bf5 4.h4, 16% of players reply 4...e6?, which lets 5.g4 hunt down the bishop, and White wins 69% of those games. Our article on why the Caro-Kann is so solid explains the structure.

Or the Petroff Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6) if you prefer to answer 1.e4 with 1...e5. It has the widest range of any Black opening here, 800 to 2400, and the largest dataset of our 1.e4 defenses (about 98 million games). The opening is sound, but club players often misplay it: after 3.Nxe5, only 26% of players at this level play the correct 3...d6, while 69% of 2200+ players do. Learning that one move puts you ahead of most opponents. The Petroff article covers the "drawish" reputation.

Against 1.d4: keep the Slav, or switch to the Queen's Gambit Accepted. The QGA is the most popular answer to the Queen's Gambit at 900 to 1800: after 1.d4 d5 2.c4, 2...dxc4 is played in 31% of games. The key lesson is not to cling to the extra pawn. After 3.e3, 23% of players try to keep it with 3...b5, and White wins 63% of those games, compared with 54% after 3...Nf6. If you're torn between the two, see accept or decline the Queen's Gambit.

Want a fight instead? The Budapest Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5) works from 900 and sets real traps. In one line, 42% of White players take a bishop with 8.axb4?? and Black wins 99% of those games thanks to 8...Nd3#. Read whether the Budapest is sound before you commit.

1400 to 1800: add a fighting defense against 1.d4

Against 1.e4, the Caro-Kann and the Petroff both carry on working through this range. The flexible ...g6 defenses also become realistic: the Pirc (750 to 1800) and the Modern (900 to 1800). See Pirc vs Modern to choose between them.

Against 1.d4, this is where the Indian defenses start to pay off.

The Nimzo-Indian (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4) if you like positional chess. At 1400 to 2200, 50% of players answer 3.Nc3 with 3...Bb4, and White's replies are spread out, from 4.Qc2 (18%) to 4.e3 (12%). That's why the course has 15 lines instead of one main line. Against 3.Nf3 you'll need a partner system: the Queen's Indian or the Bogo-Indian. Our three-way comparison helps you pick.

The King's Indian Defense if you want to attack. It's our largest Black dataset, about 183 million games at 1400 to 2200. Be ready for more than the main line: White's most common second moves against 1...Nf6 are 2.c4 (44%), 2.Nf3 (18%) and 2.Bf4 (16%).

The Dutch Defense (1.d4 f5) is the surprise weapon in this band (1200 to 2000). At that range, 1...f5 is played in only about 2% of games after 1.d4, so your opponents will rarely have prepared for it. See is the Dutch Defense good.

1800 and up: the Najdorf and the Grünfeld

Once your opponents know their main lines, the sharpest defenses become worth their extra study time.

Against 1.e4: the Sicilian Najdorf (1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6), recommended from 1600. Even at 1600 to 2400, only 57% of White players answer 1...c5 with 2.Nf3. The rest choose sidelines such as 2.Nc3 (9%), 2.Bc4 (8%) and 2.d4 (7%), so a real Najdorf repertoire includes the anti-Sicilians. That's also why we don't recommend it earlier: why the Najdorf isn't recommended under 1500 explains the reasons.

Against 1.d4: the Grünfeld Defense (1800 to 2400), the King's Indian, or the Nimzo-Indian. The Grünfeld gives White the center and then attacks it. It's dynamic but well tested: after 4.Bg5 Ne4 5.Nxe4 dxe4, Black wins 57% of games at that level. Compare it with the King's Indian in King's Indian vs Grünfeld.

Pick by style

You want safety	Caro-Kann or Petroff against 1.e4, Slav or Nimzo-Indian against 1.d4
You want to attack	Sicilian Najdorf (1600+) against 1.e4, King's Indian, Budapest, Dutch or Benko Gambit against 1.d4
You like flexible setups	Pirc, Modern or Alekhine's Defense against 1.e4, King's Indian or Queen's Gambit Accepted against 1.d4
You hate memorizing	Scandinavian and Slav, or see the openings with the least theory

Style matters less than rating at first. A sharp opening you can't remember loses more games than a quiet one you know well. Our guide to choosing a repertoire that fits your style goes deeper.

How to learn your two openings

1. Learn the most common replies first. Each Coach plays White's replies about as often as real opponents at your rating do, so the line you'll meet most is the one you practice most.
2. Learn the common mistakes. Most picks above come with a mistake that club players really make, on one side or the other. Knowing it wins games on its own.
3. Test it in real games. Play a bot that opens like a player at your rating, then review your own games to see where you left the line.

The full comparisons by first move are in our two deep dives: the best defenses against 1.e4 and the most reliable defenses against 1.d4.

Playing White as well? See the best chess openings for White at every rating.

FAQ

What is the best chess opening for Black?

There isn't one best opening for every player. Black needs two: one against 1.e4 and one against 1.d4. For most club players rated about 800 to 2200, the Caro-Kann against 1.e4 is the most reliable all-round choice. Against 1.d4, the Slav suits players up to about 1700, and the Nimzo-Indian or King's Indian suit players from about 1400.

What is the best opening for Black for beginners?

Under about 1000, the Scandinavian Defense (1.e4 d5) against 1.e4 and the Slav Defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6) against 1.d4. Both give you a clear plan from move one and avoid the long forcing lines that beginners tend to lose in.

Do I need different openings against 1.e4 and 1.d4?

Yes. Your first move as Black depends on White's first move, so a repertoire for Black is always at least two openings: one answer to 1.e4 and one to 1.d4. That's the minimum, and it's enough for most players under 1600.

What is the most aggressive opening for Black?

Against 1.e4, the Sicilian Najdorf, which we recommend from about 1600. Against 1.d4, the King's Indian Defense from about 1400, or the Budapest Gambit and the Dutch Defense if you want a fight earlier. The Benko Gambit is another option from about 1300.

What should Black play against 1.c4 or 1.Nf3?

Our library covers Black's answers to 1.e4 and 1.d4. Many 1.c4 and 1.Nf3 games turn into 1.d4 structures by transposition, so your 1.d4 defense often still applies. Our article on transposition and move orders shows how to cover these first moves without a third opening.