Tier list

Chess opening tier list
for 1400 rated players.

Openings graded S to D by what actually wins at rating band 1400 (1400-1600), 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 49 of 310 graded openings at band 1400.

Queen's Gambit Accepted: Old VariationD2056.2%n = 27,668
King's Pawn GameB0049.4%n = 6,813,943King's Pawn GameC2050.8%n = 3,190,593Queen's Pawn GameA4050.5%n = 2,614,908King's Knight OpeningC4050.7%n = 1,979,043Queen's Pawn GameD0051.5%n = 1,269,910French DefenseC0048.4%n = 632,985Sicilian DefenseB2748.3%n = 466,086Queen's GambitD0652.8%n = 415,763Scotch GameC4453.2%n = 282,455English OpeningA1051.2%n = 270,653Zukertort OpeningA0450.3%n = 260,541Ruy LopezC6051.3%n = 251,104Scotch GameC4452.7%n = 232,950Center GameC2052.2%n = 191,440Center Game AcceptedC2151.2%n = 132,349Queen's Gambit DeclinedD3051.7%n = 128,803Nimzo-Larsen AttackA0150.1%n = 116,665Queen's Gambit AcceptedD2055.1%n = 115,410English Opening: King's English VariationA2051.8%n = 105,512Scandinavian Defense: Modern VariationB0149.1%n = 90,848King's Gambit AcceptedC3353.9%n = 75,198Scotch Game: Lolli VariationC4454.5%n = 70,745King's Gambit Accepted: King's Knight's GambitC3454.2%n = 68,544Scotch Game: Scotch GambitC4454.8%n = 54,398Polish OpeningA0052.2%n = 48,586Danish GambitC2154.9%n = 44,803Queen's Gambit Accepted: Saduleto VariationD2054.3%n = 34,799Danish Gambit AcceptedC2156.1%n = 32,590Vienna Game: Stanley VariationC2651.0%n = 32,353Italian Game: Classical VariationC5452.6%n = 32,327Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra GambitB2150.9%n = 23,210Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco PianissimoC5452.5%n = 19,701Sicilian Defense: Kan VariationB4152.7%n = 6,435
King's Knight Opening: Normal VariationC4450.8%n = 1,313,622Sicilian DefenseB2048.8%n = 937,107Scandinavian DefenseB0147.4%n = 669,283Italian GameC5050.3%n = 602,367Caro-Kann DefenseB1048.9%n = 576,216Bishop's OpeningC2350.8%n = 385,812Indian DefenseA4547.2%n = 360,947Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc VariationB0146.0%n = 339,514Philidor DefenseC4145.5%n = 326,807Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London SystemD0051.1%n = 298,278French Defense: Normal VariationC0047.6%n = 295,280Horwitz DefenseA4045.3%n = 252,437Caro-Kann DefenseB1247.4%n = 245,998Pirc DefenseB0046.7%n = 241,975Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort VariationD0251.1%n = 240,861Caro-Kann DefenseB1247.5%n = 234,556Sicilian Defense: Old SicilianB3047.7%n = 231,635Vienna GameC2551.1%n = 229,998French Defense: Knight VariationC0048.5%n = 210,542Italian Game: Two Knights DefenseC5545.6%n = 207,526Englund GambitA4048.1%n = 205,528Modern DefenseB0647.2%n = 192,251Italian Game: Giuoco PianoC5049.5%n = 190,700French DefenseC0048.7%n = 189,927King's GambitC3053.4%n = 182,940Van't Kruijs OpeningA0047.4%n = 175,330Owen DefenseB0046.9%n = 141,803Scotch GameC4551.7%n = 138,276Sicilian Defense: Bowdler AttackB2046.0%n = 138,041Queen's Pawn GameD0050.2%n = 137,781Hungarian OpeningA0048.9%n = 125,762Four Knights GameC4748.9%n = 120,143Queen's Pawn Game: Modern DefenseA4047.3%n = 119,087Sicilian Defense: Modern VariationsB5048.7%n = 119,088Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin VariationD0049.9%n = 111,703French Defense: Advance VariationC0250.6%n = 109,055Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver DefenseC5051.6%n = 101,486Bird OpeningA0249.9%n = 97,912Zukertort OpeningA0650.7%n = 96,400King's Pawn Game: Leonardis VariationC2047.7%n = 91,930Sicilian Defense: French VariationB4049.4%n = 91,886Scandinavian Defense: Main LineB0148.4%n = 87,418Queen's Pawn GameA4149.4%n = 86,083French Defense: Advance VariationC0251.9%n = 85,914Modern DefenseB0647.0%n = 85,809Sicilian Defense: OpenB3247.4%n = 78,646Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical VariationD0250.2%n = 78,559Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra GambitB2147.9%n = 78,312Benoni Defense: Old BenoniA4348.4%n = 75,568Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's OpeningC5551.5%n = 72,884Sicilian Defense: ClosedB2349.1%n = 72,094Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin VariationD0252.8%n = 71,973French Defense: Exchange VariationC0147.1%n = 70,863Vienna Game: Falkbeer VariationC2652.2%n = 70,179Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight VariationD3152.0%n = 69,144Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin VariationA4549.9%n = 63,432Pirc DefenseB0047.5%n = 61,962King's Pawn Game: Busch-Gass GambitC4051.4%n = 61,848English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed SicilianA2152.3%n = 60,221Four Knights Game: Italian VariationC5047.9%n = 60,101Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight AttackC5751.8%n = 59,351French Defense: Exchange VariationC0146.8%n = 59,044Ponziani OpeningC4450.9%n = 55,340Blackmar-Diemer GambitD0051.6%n = 54,777Italian Game: Classical VariationC5352.3%n = 54,251English DefenseA4046.5%n = 52,235French Defense: Advance VariationC0250.9%n = 50,209Bishop's Opening: Boi VariationC2351.8%n = 49,542Sicilian DefenseB5047.8%n = 48,958Queen's Pawn GameD0049.7%n = 44,117Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern VariationA0150.4%n = 44,075Queen's Pawn Game: London SystemD0251.2%n = 42,504Rapport-Jobava SystemD0152.4%n = 41,746Indian Defense: West Indian DefenseE6048.2%n = 40,812King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen AttackC2049.1%n = 40,006Caro-Kann DefenseB1049.7%n = 39,424Queen's Pawn Game: London System, with e6D0250.9%n = 38,492Bird Opening: Dutch VariationA0349.8%n = 38,025Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Botvinnik-Carls DefenseB1251.0%n = 37,564Queen's Pawn Game: Colle SystemD0450.2%n = 36,074Caro-Kann Defense: Main LineB1545.6%n = 35,277Sicilian Defense: Closed, TraditionalB2348.8%n = 34,291English Opening: Anglo-Indian DefenseA1546.5%n = 32,210Grob OpeningA0048.8%n = 31,516Sicilian Defense: Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo AttackB3049.5%n = 30,864Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin VariationD0049.3%n = 30,857French Defense: Advance VariationC0251.7%n = 30,583Englund Gambit: Main LineA4049.0%n = 30,519Pirc Defense: Classical VariationB0846.7%n = 30,416Four Knights Game: Scotch VariationC4752.8%n = 30,272French Defense: Franco-Sicilian DefenseC0047.4%n = 29,999French Defense: La Bourdonnais VariationC0047.8%n = 27,820English Opening: Symmetrical VariationA3051.0%n = 26,659Vienna Game: Vienna GambitC2957.4%n = 26,112Old Indian DefenseA4146.3%n = 25,626Queen's Pawn Game: London System, with e6D0251.6%n = 24,929Queen's Gambit Declined: Three Knights VariationD3751.4%n = 24,909Center Game: Kieseritzky VariationC2152.8%n = 24,889English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights VariationA2251.6%n = 24,288Zukertort OpeningA0549.0%n = 24,137Zukertort Opening: Queen's Gambit InvitationA0451.0%n = 23,900King's Pawn Game: MacLeod AttackC2050.3%n = 23,275Sicilian Defense: Modern Variations, Main LineB5449.5%n = 22,020Queen's Pawn Game: Colle SystemD0551.3%n = 21,875Petrov's Defense: Stafford GambitC4251.7%n = 21,847East Indian DefenseA4848.3%n = 21,414Queen's Pawn Game: Levitsky AttackD0053.3%n = 20,749Philidor DefenseC4149.1%n = 20,228Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern VariationD5051.1%n = 19,862Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio DefenseC5850.8%n = 19,437Italian Game: Hungarian DefenseC5048.6%n = 18,031Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit AcceptedC4253.3%n = 17,989King's Indian Defense: Normal VariationE7047.3%n = 17,503Italian Game: Classical Variation, Center AttackC5454.8%n = 17,331King's Indian AttackA0750.2%n = 17,197Scandinavian Defense: Blackburne-Kloosterboer GambitB0149.3%n = 17,187French Defense: King's Indian AttackC0047.1%n = 16,973Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit AcceptedB2151.3%n = 16,695Zukertort Opening: Pirc InvitationA0449.7%n = 14,782English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal VariationA3451.7%n = 14,758Trompowsky AttackA4549.3%n = 14,618English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive SystemA1149.3%n = 14,239English Opening: Great Snake VariationA1049.3%n = 14,139Nimzo-Indian DefenseE2046.6%n = 13,689Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane VariationB2050.5%n = 13,278King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer CountergambitC3148.6%n = 12,463Réti OpeningA0952.4%n = 11,994Sicilian Defense: Najdorf VariationB9049.1%n = 11,796Indian Defense: Budapest GambitA5148.7%n = 7,689Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit AcceptedC4252.2%n = 6,892Benoni DefenseA5650.8%n = 5,692Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ryder GambitD0054.5%n = 3,962Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice LineC5749.4%n = 3,721Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin Countergambit, Lasker TrapD0868.0%n = 425
Petrov's DefenseC4246.3%n = 182,358Three Knights OpeningC4648.3%n = 168,111Philidor DefenseC4145.8%n = 152,319Indian Defense: Normal VariationA5046.7%n = 121,319Bishop's Opening: Berlin DefenseC2445.3%n = 118,081Pirc DefenseB0046.5%n = 117,113Caro-Kann Defense: Advance VariationB1248.8%n = 115,529Philidor DefenseC4144.1%n = 101,052Scandinavian Defense: Valencian VariationB0145.8%n = 92,354Slav DefenseD1044.9%n = 90,731Nimzowitsch DefenseB0045.2%n = 89,107Petrov's Defense: Three Knights GameC4250.1%n = 88,760Four Knights Game: Italian VariationC4747.4%n = 85,069Sicilian Defense: OpenB3246.4%n = 82,883Indian Defense: Accelerated London SystemA4548.7%n = 79,269Sicilian Defense: OpenB3247.3%n = 71,592Alekhine DefenseB0246.9%n = 64,296Indian Defense: Knights VariationA4647.2%n = 63,813Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange VariationB1347.6%n = 60,882Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal DefenseD3544.8%n = 59,995Sicilian Defense: Alapin VariationB2246.2%n = 57,231Mieses OpeningA0046.3%n = 56,506Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, NormalC5050.6%n = 55,145Italian Game: Paris DefenseC5045.4%n = 54,702Caro-Kann Defense: Hillbilly AttackB1043.9%n = 53,595Zukertort Opening: Tennison GambitA0647.6%n = 51,021Center GameC2147.0%n = 50,189King's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight DefenseC3044.5%n = 50,096Caro-Kann DefenseB1544.6%n = 50,023Dutch DefenseA8046.4%n = 47,895Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack, Normal VariationC5751.4%n = 46,331Italian Game: Giuoco PianissimoC5048.2%n = 45,968Sicilian DefenseB5048.5%n = 45,517Ruy Lopez: Morphy DefenseC7044.1%n = 44,765Sicilian Defense: McDonnell AttackB2148.6%n = 44,618Center Game: Normal VariationC2246.5%n = 41,768French Defense: Queen's KnightC0048.2%n = 41,140King's Pawn Game: McConnell DefenseC4046.3%n = 39,127Van Geet OpeningA0047.8%n = 37,994Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights VariationC5050.3%n = 37,658Elephant GambitC4048.5%n = 37,617Caro-Kann DefenseB1050.1%n = 36,592French Defense: Paulsen VariationC1045.6%n = 35,325Englund Gambit: Hartlaub-Charlick GambitA4049.3%n = 34,542Pirc DefenseB0745.5%n = 34,365Four Knights Game: Spanish VariationC4849.7%n = 33,512Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation, Short VariationB1249.2%n = 33,452Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange VariationB1349.5%n = 32,471Zukertort Opening: Black Mustang DefenseA0445.8%n = 31,995Sicilian Defense: French Variation, OpenB4049.6%n = 31,363French Defense: Advance Variation, Paulsen AttackC0245.2%n = 30,672King's Pawn Game: Napoleon AttackC2048.9%n = 30,358King's Indian DefenseE6147.6%n = 30,354Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Classical VariationA0149.5%n = 29,915Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy VariationB0043.9%n = 29,385Vienna Game: Stanley Variation, Three Knights VariationC2850.6%n = 29,371Rat Defense: Small Center DefenseC0045.1%n = 28,080King's Gambit Accepted: MacLeod DefenseC3442.0%n = 27,110Scotch Game: Classical VariationC4549.7%n = 26,986English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian DefenseA1043.2%n = 26,919French Defense: Exchange VariationC0147.8%n = 26,584Nimzo-Larsen Attack: Modern VariationA0150.1%n = 26,012English Opening: Agincourt DefenseA1345.3%n = 25,235Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch CounterattackC4446.4%n = 24,764Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed FrenchA4047.5%n = 23,970Alekhine Defense: Normal VariationB0246.6%n = 23,255Nimzowitsch DefenseB0044.9%n = 23,238Vienna Game: Anderssen DefenseC2546.7%n = 22,589Four Knights Game: Scotch Variation AcceptedC4752.2%n = 22,531Saragossa OpeningA0047.2%n = 21,472Benoni Defense: Old BenoniA4346.2%n = 20,797Ruy Lopez: Exchange VariationC6849.5%n = 20,469Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit AcceptedA4347.2%n = 20,179Zukertort Opening: Sicilian InvitationA0448.3%n = 19,926Sicilian Defense: Hyperaccelerated DragonB2748.9%n = 19,879French Defense: Steinitz AttackC0045.0%n = 19,860St. George DefenseB0046.3%n = 19,654Nimzowitsch Defense: Kennedy Variation, Linksspringer VariationB0043.8%n = 19,470Ruy Lopez: Steinitz DefenseC6242.2%n = 18,993Old Indian DefenseA5347.0%n = 18,771Sicilian Defense: Accelerated DragonB3248.7%n = 18,444Slav Defense: Modern LineD1144.3%n = 18,282Blackmar-Diemer GambitD0052.0%n = 18,211Caro-Kann Defense: Classical VariationB1845.4%n = 17,935English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight VariationA1646.2%n = 17,498Sicilian Defense: ClosedB2350.1%n = 17,092Mieses Opening: Reversed RatA0046.7%n = 15,552Nimzowitsch Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Advance VariationB0045.9%n = 15,532Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Move OrderD3144.7%n = 15,194King's Indian Defense: Normal VariationE7046.7%n = 14,778Dutch DefenseA8447.7%n = 14,228English Opening: The WhaleC2047.4%n = 13,360Modern Defense: Standard LineB0644.4%n = 12,275Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, with d6B5046.3%n = 12,147Scandinavian Defense: Gubinsky-Melts DefenseB0146.4%n = 10,868Petrov's DefenseC4247.3%n = 10,841Queen's Gambit DeclinedD5349.9%n = 10,776French Defense: Classical VariationC1148.8%n = 10,100Alekhine DefenseB0347.5%n = 9,138King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight VariationE6048.4%n = 8,640Sicilian Defense: OpenB3349.7%n = 8,505Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian VariationB0251.0%n = 7,289Sicilian Defense: Dragon VariationB7050.0%n = 5,289French Defense: Tarrasch VariationC0344.9%n = 5,213Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz DefenseC7145.2%n = 2,075Queen's Gambit Declined: Modern Variation, Knight DefenseD5149.2%n = 1,098
Vienna Game: Max Lange DefenseC2545.8%n = 90,896Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall DefenseD0643.0%n = 89,013Ruy Lopez: Steinitz DefenseC6244.1%n = 73,558Caro-Kann Defense: Exchange VariationB1347.5%n = 61,370Petrov's Defense: Italian VariationC4245.4%n = 57,749Philidor Defense: Exchange VariationC4145.5%n = 53,592Petrov's DefenseC4247.2%n = 52,195Slav DefenseD1044.5%n = 47,590Ruy Lopez: Berlin DefenseC6543.5%n = 43,371Nimzowitsch Defense: Declined VariationB0044.6%n = 43,202Philidor Defense: Exchange VariationC4145.2%n = 37,346French Defense: Advance Variation, Nimzowitsch SystemC0243.8%n = 35,611Caro-Kann DefenseB1545.3%n = 35,590Ruy Lopez: Classical VariationC6446.1%n = 30,120Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić GambitC5046.2%n = 24,841Scotch Game: Scotch Gambit, Dubois Réti DefenseC4443.5%n = 21,779Pirc Defense: Classical VariationB0846.3%n = 21,730King's Pawn Game: Maróczy DefenseB0743.0%n = 20,154Caro-Kann Defense: Two Knights AttackB1048.4%n = 19,302Modern Defense: Two Knights VariationB0646.4%n = 18,406Sicilian Defense: Löwenthal VariationB3247.4%n = 18,029Mikenas DefenseA4042.1%n = 17,907Sicilian Defense: Taimanov VariationB4448.5%n = 17,785Slav Defense: Three Knights VariationD1545.0%n = 15,996Queen's Gambit Declined: Albin CountergambitD0846.3%n = 13,995Ruy Lopez: Berlin DefenseC6539.2%n = 13,685King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Rare DefensesE9047.9%n = 12,091King's Pawn Game: Damiano DefenseC4036.4%n = 11,734Sicilian Defense: Taimanov VariationB4547.0%n = 11,451Semi-Slav DefenseD4344.7%n = 8,872Indian Defense: Anti-Nimzo-IndianE1045.5%n = 8,604Petrov's Defense: Damiano VariationC4237.1%n = 7,362Barnes OpeningA0039.8%n = 6,794King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, Kiddie CountergambitC2049.6%n = 4,022Vienna Game: Frankenstein-Dracula VariationC2743.6%n = 1,772Indian Defense: Budapest Gambit Accepted, Main Line, Rubinstein VariationA5244.9%n = 443

Band 1400. 310 graded openings, sample sizes from 425 to 6,813,943 games, win rates shown for each opening's own color. Source period 2026-05.