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

TL;DR

Short answer	Pick a first move, then learn a plan against Black's most common replies. The easiest repertoire is a system; the richest is 1.e4 with an answer to each defense.
Under 1000	London System (1.d4 and Bf4), or 1.e4 with the Bishop's Opening
1000 to 1400	1.e4 with the Italian Game, or keep the London
1400 to 1800	1.e4 with the Scotch or Vienna, or 1.d4 with the Queen's Gambit
1800 and up	Ruy Lopez, Queen's Gambit, Catalan or English
Where the picks come from	Each of our 19 White openings is built from Lichess games at its own rating range, so we can see which replies you'll really face, not the ones masters play.

How a White repertoire works

As White you choose the first move, so you never have to guess what the opening will be. What you do have to prepare for is Black's reply. There are two ways to build a repertoire:

• A system. You play the same setup against almost everything, like the London (d4, Bf4, e3, Nf3, c3). Very little to memorize, and you learn the plans deeply.
• 1.e4 with an answer to each defense. You need a plan against 1...e5, the Sicilian (1...c5), the French (1...e6) and the Caro-Kann (1...c6). More to learn, but you get open positions and more tactical chances.

Neither is better. Under about 1400, a system is often the practical choice because you can learn it really well. Above that, most players add 1.e4 or the Queen's Gambit for more ways to play for a win. Our article on how many openings you need goes into the trade-off.

The picks by rating

Under 1000: the London System or the Bishop's Opening

The London System is the easiest White repertoire there is: 1.d4, 2.Bf4, then e3, Nf3 and c3 against almost any reply. It's also common at this level. At 400 to 1400 on Lichess, 2.Bf4 is played in 22% of games after 1.d4 d5, second only to 2.c4 (27%). Our Coach is built from about 35 million games at that range.

The one thing to learn early is the Englund Gambit trap. After 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7, 47% of players at this level play 4.Bf4 and win only 39% of those games, because of 4...Qb4+. With 4.Nc3 instead, White wins 53%. See how to refute the Englund Gambit, and the London's real weakness before you rely on it forever.

Prefer 1.e4? The Bishop's Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4) works from 500 to 2000 and keeps things simple. In this rating range, 2.Bc4 is played in about 11% of games after 1.e4 e5, second only to 2.Nf3. It has a hidden tactic worth knowing: after 2...Nf6 3.d3 Bc5 4.Nf3 Ng4?, only about 3% of players find 5.Bxf7+!, and they win 64% of those games. More in is the Bishop's Opening good.

1000 to 1400: the Italian Game

This is the level where 1.e4 starts to pay off, and the Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4) is the classic choice, with a range of 1000 to 1600. Our Coach is built from about 131 million games at that range.

At 1000 to 1600 on Lichess, Black's most common answer to 3.Bc4 is 3...Nf6 (31.7%), ahead of 3...Bc5 (27.8%) and 3...h6 (18.1%), so the Coach spends most of its lines there. It also teaches you to avoid the most famous trap at this level: about 26% of 1000 to 1600 rated players fall for the Blackburne Shilling trap (3...Nd4 4.Nxe5??), and they lose 75% of those games.

Once you play 1.e4, you need answers to the other defenses too. Our picks keep each one simple:

• Against the Sicilian: the Alapin (2.c3). After 1.e4 c5 2.c3, the most common replies at 900 to 2200 are 2...Nc6 (32%) and 2...d6 (18%). In one main line, 54% of players answer 5.d5 with 5...Ne5?, which runs into 6.f4 trapping the knight, and White wins 63% of those games. See Open Sicilian vs Alapin.
• Against the French: the Advance Variation (3.e5). At 900 to 1800, 47% of White players choose 3.e5 after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, and 70% of Black players answer with 3...c5. See how to counter the French.
• Against the Caro-Kann: the Advance Variation. After 3.e5, players rated 900 to 1800 answer 3...Bf5 in 62% of games. One idea is worth learning on its own: in one main line, only 12% of White players find 7.c4, but they win 69% of those games. See how to beat the Caro-Kann.

Our guide to White openings for 1200 to 1500 has more detail on this band.

1400 to 1800: the Scotch, the Vienna, or the Queen's Gambit

The Scotch Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4) opens the center at once. After 3.d4, 70% of players at 900 to 1800 take with 3...exd4. In one main line, against 5...Nf6, 6.e5 wins 61% of games for White. It needs less theory than the Ruy Lopez: see is the Scotch Game good.

The Vienna Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nc3) gives you a choice of calm or sharp. Against 2...Nf6, the Vienna Gambit 3.f4 scores 58% for White at 800 to 1800, compared with 49% for 3.Nf3. See is the Vienna Game good.

Or switch to the Queen's Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4), recommended from 1300. It's our largest White dataset, about 177 million games, and it prepares you for all of Black's main answers: 2...e6 (27%), 2...dxc4 (24%), 2...c6 (20%) and 2...Nf6 (15%). If you started with the London, this is the natural next step. Compare the d4 systems in London vs Torre vs Trompowsky.

1800 and up: the Ruy Lopez, the Catalan and the English

The Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5), recommended from 1600, is the deepest 1.e4 e5 opening, and our course has 27 lines. After 3.Bb5, players rated 1600 to 2400 answer 3...a6 in 31% of games, 3...d6 in 22%, the Berlin (3...Nf6) in 16% and 3...Bc5 in 13%. Not sure between this and the Italian? Read Italian Game vs Ruy Lopez.

The Catalan (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3) is a quiet surprise at 1400 to 2200: only 3% of players choose 3.g3 there. After 3...d5, White wins 52% of games and loses 42%. See is the Catalan good for club players.

The English Opening (1.c4) has one of the widest ranges of our White openings, 1000 to 2400. After 1.c4, players answer 1...e5 in 34% of games and 1...Nf6 in 17%. The Réti (1.Nf3) is the related choice; see English vs Réti.

Against the Sicilian Dragon, the Yugoslav Attack (1700 to 2400) is the most direct plan: castle long and attack.

Pick by style

You want one simple setup	London System or Torre Attack
You want to attack	Italian, Scotch or Vienna; the King's Gambit or Danish Gambit if you enjoy gambits; the Trompowsky against 1...Nf6
You like slow, positional games	Queen's Gambit, Ruy Lopez, Catalan, English or Réti
You hate memorizing	London System, or see the openings with the least theory

Gambits are a real option at club level. At 900 to 2200, White wins 53% of games after the King's Gambit 2.f4 and Black wins 44%. In the Danish Gambit, 73% of players at 900 to 2000 take a second pawn with 3...dxc3, and White wins 56% of those games. The full list is in the most aggressive openings for White.

How to learn your White repertoire

1. Start with Black's most common reply. Each Coach plays Black'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. 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.

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

FAQ

What is the best chess opening for White?

There isn't one best opening for every player. Under about 1400, the London System is the easiest to learn because one setup works against almost everything. From about 1000, 1.e4 with the Italian Game gives you open, tactical positions. From about 1600, the Ruy Lopez and the Queen's Gambit are the most complete choices.

What is the best opening for White for beginners?

The London System (1.d4, 2.Bf4, then e3, Nf3 and c3). You play the same setup against almost every reply, so there is very little to memorize. If you prefer 1.e4, the Bishop's Opening and the Italian Game are good first choices.

Should I play 1.e4 or 1.d4?

Play 1.e4 if you like open, tactical games and don't mind learning an answer to each Black defense. Play 1.d4 with a system like the London if you want one plan and less theory. Both are sound at every level; the right choice is the one that fits how you like to play.

What is the most aggressive opening for White?

The King's Gambit, the Danish Gambit and the Vienna Gambit are the sharpest in our library. The Italian Game and the Scotch Game are attacking choices with less risk. Against the Sicilian Dragon, the Yugoslav Attack is the most direct plan from about 1700.

How many openings does White need?

If you play 1.d4 with a system like the London, one setup covers most games. If you play 1.e4, you need a plan against each common reply: 1...e5, the Sicilian (1...c5), the French (1...e6) and the Caro-Kann (1...c6). That's four short repertoires, but each starts from the same first move.