The best chess openings against 1.e4

These scores cover every rated Lichess game from September 2023 to August 2026, as compiled by TrueElo. "Score" counts a win as 1 point and a draw as half a point, from Black's side. Black averages about 48%, so anything near 50% is a strong result.

Under 1000: the Caro-Kann (52.1%), Sicilian (51.9%) and Modern (51.7%) all score over 51%. At this level, simple development and a safe king beat everything else.

1000-1599: the Caro-Kann stays at about 50.6% and the French at 50.0-50.4%. The Scandinavian is weaker here (48.3% from 1000 to 1199), because White players learn to punish the early queen move.

1600-1999: the scores tighten. The Caro-Kann (50.2% to 49.5%) and French still lead, and the Alekhine has its best range (50.2% at 1800-1999).

2000 and above: every defence drops as White plays more accurately. The Sicilian becomes the main choice of masters. In one New In Chess master sample, White scored 52.3% against the Sicilian compared with 54.1% after 1.e4 overall.

Caro-Kann: 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 (Classical), or 3.e5 Bf5 (Advance). One trap to know: after 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Qe2, the natural 5...Ngf6?? walks into 6.Nd6#, a smothered mate.

French: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5, then 3.Nc3 Bb4 (Winawer) or 3...Nf6, 3.Nd2 (Tarrasch), or 3.e5 c5 (Advance). In every line your key move is ...c5.

Sicilian: 1.e4 c5. In the Open Sicilian (2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3) Black has many systems, with the Najdorf (5...a6) the most famous. At club level, also prepare for the Alapin (2.c3), the Closed (2.Nc3) and 2.Bc4. On Lichess these are among the most common replies.

Scandinavian: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3, then retreat with 3...Qa5 or 3...Qd6. Develop with ...Nf6, ...c6 and ...Bf5 or ...Bg4, and do not lose time moving the queen again.

Caro-Kann: solid pawns, a safe king and a light-squared bishop that gets out before ...e6. Few early tactics to go wrong.

French: a strong pawn chain and counterplay with ...c5 and ...f6. The trade-off is a light-squared bishop that is often stuck behind its pawns.

Sicilian: an unbalanced fight where Black plays for a win. It has the most theory of any opening, but it is also the richest.

Scandinavian: forces the game into your territory on move one. It is easy to learn, but scores below average from 1000 to 1199.

The best defence is the one that scores best for you. AuditChess is the best free tool for this job: enter your Chess.com or Lichess username and it shows how each of your replies to 1.e4 has scored, where you go wrong in them, and which line to switch to if one keeps losing you rating.