The Best High Percentage Chess Openings for White

Imagine you could sort through millions of chess games to discover the very best high percentage openings for White. Well, now you can. With the birth of online chess databases, anyone can research the statistically highest scoring moves ever played on a chess board.

But doing your own research can be time-consuming. To save you hours of trawling chess databases, we’ve done the homework for you. In this article, we present the highest scoring openings for White at master, intermediate, and beginner levels.

There are some eye-popping surprises, as well as some very insightful findings that you can utilize to deliver crushing opening lines the next time you play as White in a chess match. Let’s explore!

What are Chess Databases?

Computerization has revolutionized the way we study chess. Whereas in the past, the winning potential of each opening was theoretical, concrete data has transformed the study into a statistical science.

Using databases such as lichess.org, we can see exactly what proportion of games were won, lost, or drawn from every move. There are millions of master games to draw from, as well as nearly a billion online games played at every level.

It’s from this data that we’ve compiled the following guide to the highest scoring openings at master, intermediate, and beginner levels. While we don’t have time to explore the following openings in depth, we hope the brief description and stats will rouse your curiosity to study and try them out against unsuspecting opponents next time you play!

Best High Percentage Opening for White at Master Level

According to the lichess.org database, the Queen’s Gambit scores the highest percentage of any opening for White at master level. Of the nearly 200,000 Queen's Gambit games recorded, White wins 33%, draws 49%, and loses just 19%. This lands White an impressive average of 57.5 points per 100 games played.

Queen’s Gambit Opening Line

The Queen’s Gambit begins with the opening moves 1.d4 d5, 2. c4

Queen’s Gambit Key Ideas

Looking at the diagram above, White offers up a sacrificial pawn on the C-file in the hope of claiming sole control of the center. If Black accepts the gambit, its outlying pawn is awkward to defend, so White can normally reclaim it by developing its light-squared bishop. Black and White are then equal in pieces, and White has an undoubtedly superior position.

In the database of master games, only 12% of opponents accept the gambit. The more popular responses to 2. c4 are either 2… c6, or 2...e6, defending the d5 pawn. According to the database, however, these moves don’t improve Black’s chances of winning or drawing the game!

The Queen’s Gambit is such a successful opening that most master players avoid falling foul of it altogether. Instead of playing 1...d5, 61% of masters respond with 1...Nf6 - leading into various forms of the Indian Defence. This has proven successful. With this response, Black ultimately wins 3% more games!

Queen’s Gambit Interesting Facts

• First recorded in 1490, the Queen’s Gambit is one of the oldest of all known chess openings. As with all openings, it has fallen in and out of fashion since its invention.
• At the height of its popularity, the Queen’s Gambit was played in 32 out of 34 games in the 1927 World Championship match between José Raúl Capablanca and Alexander Alekhine.

Best High Percentage King’s Pawn Opening at Master Level

Despite historically winning slightly fewer points than the Queen’s Pawn Openings (1.d4), King’s Pawn Openings (1.e4) have remained the most popular first move at all levels. Leading to a more open board, the ‘King’s Pawn Game’ tends to create more attacking options and dynamic play.

So which king’s pawn opening has yielded the best results for masters? Veteran chess players won’t be surprised to learn, it’s the Ruy Lopez, aka. ‘Spanish Game’. Of nearly 150,000 recorded Ruy Lopez games at master level, White wins 29%, draws 52%, and only loses 19%. The opening averages 55 points for every 100 games played.

Ruy Lopez Opening Line

The Ruy Lopez opens with the aggressive line:

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5

Ruy Lopez Key Ideas

With 3.Bb5, White threatens to trade its bishop with Black’s c6-knight, leaving Black’s e5-pawn undefended. It also threatens to pin Black’s queen knight to the king, jeopardizing any immediate development of the queen’s pawn.

To avoid prolonging the dilemma, Black usually follows with the Morphy Defense: 3...a6, attacking the bishop and pressuring White to make a decision. White then usually retreats the bishop with 4.a4. Playing 4...b4 at this point is unwise for Black. Instead, the mainline follows 4…Nf6, 5. O-O.

A huge number of variations follow - none of which save Black from an inferior position, hence why the opening enjoys such an impressive track record at master level.

The complexity of the Ruy Lopez, however, makes it less effective for beginners or even intermediate players who likely won’t have the capacity to memorize the myriad opening lines.

Ruy Lopez Interesting Facts

• The Ruy Lopez is named after the 16th-century Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura. However, it was not widely used until it was ‘rediscovered’ in the mid-19th century.
• One of the most highly studied openings of all time, the Ruy Lopez boasts over 50 named variations, some exceeding 30 moves!

Best High Percentage Openings for Intermediate Players

It’s important to note that the highest-scoring openings at master level are not necessarily the highest scoring for novice or intermediate players. For example, the Scotch Game, and King’s Gambit score more highly for White than the Ruy Lopez for players under Elo 1800 rating.

So which is the highest scoring of all White openings for intermediate players with a rating of between 1200-1800? You might find the answer a little surprising!

The Deutz Gambit is a little-known chess opening that has recently earned more attention for its astounding statistical standing in intermediate games. Of more than one million games played at Elo 1200-1800 level, the Deutz Gambit won White a stunning average of 61 points from every 100 games played.

Deutz Gambit Main Line

The Deutz Gambit is slightly obscure in that it begins on move five following the Italian Game. The first four moves are so common, however, that the opening can be played in a high proportion of games.

It goes like this: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. O-O Nf6 5. d4

Deutz Gambit Key Ideas

At first glance, 5. d4 looks nonsensical. The square is attacked by three black pieces, and defended by only two of White’s. In 95% of games at this level, Black captures the hanging pawn with either the pawn, bishop, or knight.

Unfortunately for Black, all these moves can land them in serious trouble if White knows what to do! 5...exd4 is by far the most commonly played move by Black, yet White’s follow-up with 6.e5, threatening to trap the knight often proves deadly. There are even some lines that can land Black in Checkmate in 14 moves!

If the d4 pawn is captured by the bishop or knight, there are several more fatal traps for Black to stumble into. The scope of the variations are too complex to go into here, but it’s a potent opening to study if you’re playing at intermediate level!

Why isn't the Deutz Gambit Played More Often?

• The Deutz Gambit has failed to win favor among advanced players since if Black plays the right moves, a neutral position can be easily won.
• Because the best moves are usually counterintuitive for intermediate players, however, White has an excellent chance of winning pieces, a superior position, and even the entire game in the first twenty moves.

Best High Percentage Opening for Beginners

For an opening to be successful for beginners, it needs to be simple, without too many variations to study. The Fried Liver Attack has long been famed as one of the most lethal beginner openings, and records of online games have only confirmed its reputation.

Of nearly one million online games by players between 400-1200 rating using the Fried Liver, White wins a staggering average of 73 points per 100 games. Let’s find out more!

The Fried Liver Attack Opening Line

Also known as the Fegatello Attack, the Fried Liver Attack is launched with the menacing line: 1. e4 e5, 2. Nf3 Nc6, 3. Bc4 Nf6, 4. Ng5 d5, 5. exd5 Nxd5, 6. Nxf7

While it may take five opponent moves to initiate the opening, these are statistically the most likely moves that Black will make!

Fried Liver Key Ideas

The Fried Liver Attack is a trap that follows the extremely common Two Knights Defense: 1. e4 e5, 2. Nf3 Nc6, 3. Bc4 Nf6. While the Two-Knights is a sound opening for Black, the traps that can follow 4.Ng5 sometimes prove fatal.

Black must do something to prevent White from delivering a classic fork with Nxf7. 4...d5 is both the most common and best move. But when White captures with 5.exd5, 60% of beginners play the natural, yet unfortunate 5...Nxd5.

White turns up the heat with the startling 6.Nxf7. To avoid losing a rook, Black must capture the knight with its king, on the dangerously exposed f7 square. Now White deploys a fork with 7.Qf3, effectively winning back its knight deficit and more besides. Black usually retreats with 7...Ke1, before White captures the hanging knight with its light-squared bishop.

Amazingly, the most commonly played next move for Black at beginner level is the most disastrous of all. Determined not to be outdone by White’s outrageous attack, a knee-jerk blunder of 8...Nd4 fails to spot the impending Checkmate: 9. Qf7# and it’s game over!

Fried Liver Attack Interesting Facts

• The first player ever recorded to play the Fried Liver Attack was Italian chess theoretician Giulio Cesare Polerio in 1606.
• Attempting the Fried Liver Attack at master level is untenable. Instead of 5...Nxd5, computer analysis has confirmed 5.Na5 as Black’s best move. Black can soon counterattack, pushing back White’s pieces into awkward submission.

Conclusion

Knowing the best high-percentage openings for White can be hugely helpful when choosing chess openings to study at your level. If an opening has worked for millions of others, it has a good chance of working for you too!

It should be remembered, however, that statistical trends are not everything. In real chess matches, every opponent is unique, and many may surprise you by deviating from the typical  lines.

To get a solid understanding of various openings, you can’t beat studying from a reputable book on the topic. Doing so will familiarize you not only with the main lines, but also every variation that you’re likely to face.