8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

1. e4 e5 2. d4

Shown from White's side. ECO C20.

Opening guide · an opening for White

Center Game

The Center Game starts 1. e4 e5 2. d4. White opens the centre on move two. After 2...exd4 3. Qxd4 the queen comes out early and Black gains time by attacking it with 3...Nc6. White usually retreats the queen to e3 and castles long, aiming for an attack on the kingside.

Games in our sample
24,677
White wins
49.8%
Draws
3.7%
Black wins
46.5%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Center Game scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10003,0791.4%47.6%3.8%48.6%
1000 to 11994,5541.4%48.3%3.2%48.4%
1200 to 13995,2631.1%49.6%3.5%46.9%
1400 to 15995,0490.8%49.8%3.4%46.7%
1600 to 17993,6450.6%50.7%3.8%45.5%
1800 to 19992,1770.4%53.1%4.3%42.6%
2000 to 21997370.3%55.1%5.0%39.9%
2200 and over1730.2%50.9%8.7%40.5%
All ratings24,6770.8%49.8%3.7%46.5%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Center Game that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Normal Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6

    6,661 games · White 43.6% · draws 3.7% · Black 52.7%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Paulsen Attack Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3

    2,688 games · White 51.5% · draws 3.9% · Black 44.6%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Kieseritzky Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Nf3

    2,434 games · White 53.6% · draws 3.7% · Black 42.7%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Berger Variation

    1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Nf6

    1,306 games · White 48.3% · draws 3.9% · Black 47.8%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    Halasz-McDonnell Gambit

    1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. f4

    1,160 games · White 50.8% · draws 3.3% · Black 45.9%

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  • 8a7b6c5d4e3f2g1h

    von der Lasa Gambit

    1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Bc4

    599 games · White 51.1% · draws 3.7% · Black 45.2%

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Ideas for White

  • After 3...Nc6 the usual retreat is Qe3, followed by Nc3, Bd2 and castling long.

Ideas for Black

  • Develop with gain of time: ...Nc6 hits the queen, then ...Nf6 and ...Bb4 follow.

Questions

What are the moves of the Center Game?
1. e4 e5 2. d4. In the ECO classification it is filed under C20.
How does the Center Game score?
In 24,677 games with it in our sample, White won 49.8%, 3.7% were drawn and Black won 46.5%.
At which ratings is the Center Game played most?
Among players rated under 1000 it is 1.4% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.2%, is among players rated 2200 and over.
Which line of the Center Game is played most?
Center Game: Normal Variation (1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6), with 6,661 games in our sample.

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