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Opening

Four Knights Game

At 1400–1799 Elo, theory ends around half-move 15. The move that leaves it is a mistake in 21% of cases, 3.6 times as often as a move inside it.

All openings

Where theory ends

Half-move at which a game leaves what at least 100 games played. Half of all games end between the two outer numbers.

  • up to 1399
    14
    half-move
    half of the games: 12 to 16
  • 1400–1799
    15
    half-move
    half of the games: 13 to 17
  • 1800+
    16
    half-move
    half of the games: 13 to 18

How risky the exit is

Share of moves that lose at least 10 points of winning chances, in the same stretch of the game (half-moves 8 to 24).

up to 1399

  • Inside theory8.1%
  • The move that leaves it31.3%
  • After it19.5%

3.8× the risk of a move inside theory

1400–1799

  • Inside theory5.7%
  • The move that leaves it20.5%
  • After it13.9%

3.6× the risk of a move inside theory

1800+

  • Inside theory3.6%
  • The move that leaves it13.1%
  • After it9.2%

3.7× the risk of a move inside theory

Most common mistakes inside theory

Moves the engine rates down although many players choose them. The last move of each line is the mistake, the loss is the mean in points of winning chances.

  1. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nxe535,449 played, 19.7 points lost
  2. 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bc4 Nxe4 5. Bxf7+23,126 played, 13.3 points lost
  3. 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nxd4 6. Qxd4 b69,298 played, 16.2 points lost
  4. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 d58,915 played, 17.2 points lost
  5. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Nxd4 6. Qxd4 Be77,006 played, 15.6 points lost
  6. 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bc4 Nd46,821 played, 13.1 points lost

Where does your theory end?

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More openings

Opening names from the Lichess opening database (CC0). A game belongs to the most specific named opening it reaches within 39 half-moves.