Common mistakes
Opening mistakes at 1600–1800
The moves Lichess players rated 1600–1800 get wrong most often in the first ten moves, and what players a level above them play instead.
Learn them, don’t just read them. Play your move in each position before you see the answer.
Practise these 20On each board, the red arrow is the move most players at this level get wrong, and the green arrow is the move to play instead. Grouped by opening, the most costly first. From 129,852 games by players at this level, September 2026.
Petrov's Defence
Learn the Petrov's Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 · Black to move
?!Most players here play
3...Nc6
38% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 11%, and they score 44% from here.
Why: the engine’s best answer is 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bc5 6.Be2, and the position is worse for it.
★Play instead
3...d6
What 45% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 41%.
From 357 games at this level that reached the position.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 · White to move
?Most players here play
6.Bc4
33% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 23%, and they score 33% from here.
Why: the engine’s best answer is 6...Ng4 7.Qf3 Ne5 8.Qe2 Qh4, and the position is worse for it.
★Play instead
6.h3
The sound move most chosen at this level: 30% play it.
From 54 games at this level that reached the position.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Bc5 · White to move
?!Most players here play
4.d3
26% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 11%, and they score 64% from here.
Why: it lets 4.Nxe5 go, and 4.Nxe5 wins a pawn.
★Play instead
4.Nxe5
The sound move most chosen at this level: 26% play it.
From 81 games at this level that reached the position.
King's Pawn Opening
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5 · White to move
?!Most players here play
3.Bc4
39% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 14%, and they score 55% from here.
Why: it lets 3.Nxe5 go, and 3.Nxe5 wins a pawn.
★Play instead
3.Nxe5
What 21% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 60%.
From 207 games at this level that reached the position.
Queen's Pawn Opening
1.d4 e5 · White to move
?!Most players here play
2.d5
9% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 10%, and they score 45% from here.
Why: it lets 2.dxe5 go, and 2.dxe5 wins a pawn.
★Play instead
2.dxe5
What 75% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 58%.
From 892 games at this level that reached the position.
1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Bf4 Qb4+ 5.Bd2 Qxb2 · White to move
??Most players here play
6.Bc3
13% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 49%, and they score 0% from here.
Why: Black answers 6...Bb4 7.Bd2 Qxa1 8.c3 Be7, winning a rook.
★Play instead
6.Nc3
What 90% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 70%.
From 69 games at this level that reached the position.
1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Bf4 Qe7 4.Nf3 Qb4+ · White to move
??Most players here play
5.Nbd2
11% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 40%, and they score 38% from here.
Why: Black answers 5...Qxf4 6.e3 Qb4 7.Be2 Qe7, winning a piece.
★Play instead
5.Bd2
What 89% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 60%.
From 76 games at this level that reached the position.
1.d4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.e4 d6 4.Bf4 Nf6 · White to move
?!Most players here play
5.e5
30% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 10%, and they score 80% from here.
Why: Black answers 5...Nh5 6.Bd2 dxe5 7.dxe5 Bxe5, winning a pawn.
★Play instead
5.Qd2
What 62% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 58%.
From 76 games at this level that reached the position.
Vienna Game
Learn the Vienna Game1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 · Black to move
?!Most players here play
3...Nc6
17% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 19%, and they score 24% from here.
Why: the engine’s best answer is 4.fxe5 Nxe5 5.d4 Ng6 6.e5, and the position is worse for it.
★Play instead
3...d5
What 44% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 54%.
From 225 games at this level that reached the position.
Bishop's Opening
Learn the Bishop's Opening1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 · Black to move
?!Most players here play
3...Bc5
19% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 16%, and they score 45% from here.
Why: White answers 4.Nxe5 O-O 5.d4 Bb6 6.Nxf7, winning two pawns.
★Play instead
3...Nxe4
What 38% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 54%.
From 208 games at this level that reached the position.
Caro-Kann Defence
Learn the Caro-Kann Defence1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Ng5 h6 · White to move
?!Most players here play
6.Nxf7
91% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 15%, and they score 46% from here.
Why: Black answers 6...Kxf7 7.Nf3 c5 8.Bc4+ e6, winning two pawns.
★Play instead
6.N5f3
The sound move most chosen at this level: 7% play it.
From 44 games at this level that reached the position.
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.h4 · Black to move
?Most players here play
4...e6
15% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 25%, and they score 18% from here.
Why: White answers 5.g4 Be4 6.f3 Bxc2 7.Qxc2, winning two pawns.
★Play instead
4...h5
What 56% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 44%.
From 74 games at this level that reached the position.
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 · Black to move
?!Most players here play
6...h6
21% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 17%, and they score 27% from here.
Why: the engine’s best answer is 7.Ne5 Qd6 8.Bf4 Qf6 9.Qf3, and the position is worse for it.
★Play instead
6...Nd7
What 56% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 36%.
From 71 games at this level that reached the position.
Scotch Game
Learn the Scotch Game1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nxd4 5.Qxd4 · Black to move
?!Most players here play
5...Nf6
14% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 11%, and they score 41% from here.
Why: the engine’s best answer is 6.e5 c5 7.Qe3 Nd5 8.Qe4, and the position is worse for it.
★Play instead
5...d6
What 45% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 51%.
From 321 games at this level that reached the position.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 · Black to move
?Most players here play
5...Qe7
13% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 23%, and they score 54% from here.
Why: the engine’s best answer is 6.O-O Ng4 7.Bf4 d6 8.exd6, and the position is worse for it.
★Play instead
5...d5
What 75% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 60%.
From 111 games at this level that reached the position.
Sicilian Defence
Learn the Sicilian Defence1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 · Black to move
?!Most players here play
6...e6
16% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 20%, and they score 35% from here.
Why: the engine’s best answer is 7.Ndb5 Kf8 8.Nd6 Nf6 9.Qd2, and the position is worse for it.
★Play instead
6...Nf6
What 69% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 53%.
From 146 games at this level that reached the position.
Two Knights Defence
Learn the Two Knights Defence1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 · White to move
?!Most players here play
5.Bxf7+
27% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 14%, and they score 18% from here.
Why: it lets 5.Nxe4 go, and 5.Nxe4 wins a pawn.
★Play instead
5.Nxe4
What 51% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 34%.
From 112 games at this level that reached the position.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 · White to move
?!Most players here play
8.Ba4
27% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 14%, and they score 34% from here.
Why: the engine’s best answer is 8...h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Qe2 Bd6, and the position is worse for it.
★Play instead
8.Bd3
What 40% of players rated 1800–2000 choose. Players at your level who already play it score 50%.
From 81 games at this level that reached the position.
Ruy López
Learn the Ruy López1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5 4.c3 · Black to move
?!Most players here play
4...d6
31% of players rated 1600–1800 do. It drops their winning chances by about 12%, and they score 32% from here.
Why: the engine’s best answer is 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3, and the position is worse for it.
★Play instead
4...Nge7
What 23% of players rated 1800–2000 choose.
From 61 games at this level that reached the position.
How this was measured
The games are the start of the Lichess open database for September 2026: the first 1500 MB of the file, 4,596,934 rated games. Only the 367,730 that Lichess had already analysed with Stockfish, played at blitz speed or slower, are counted (blitz 210,831, rapid 148,158, classical 8,741). Bullet is left out: its openings are played on reflex.
Each player is placed by their own Lichess rating at the time of the game. Lichess ratings run higher than chess.com’s, so a 1200 here is a weaker player than a 1200 there. Only the first 10 moves of each game are looked at: after that, positions almost never repeat across games.
A move is listed as a mistake when it gives away at least 10 points of winning chance on average, the point at which the game review starts to call a move an inaccuracy, and a position needs at least 40 games at that rating before it is reported. The move recommended instead must give away no more than 5 points, and is the one most often chosen by the next rating band up, so a 1100 is shown what a 1300 plays rather than a grandmaster’s preparation. At the top band it is the band’s own favourite.
“Score” is the average result of the player who made the move: a win counts 1, a draw a half. It is affected by everything that happened later in the game, so read it as a hint, not a verdict.