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Openings 1.e4 e5: open games

Bishop’s Opening: Lines, Scholar’s Mate Idea and Stats by Rating

2.Bc4 develops the bishop before the knight. It keeps the f-pawn free for f4 and lets White transpose into the Italian, the Vienna or a King’s Gambit with the bishop already out.

For White1.e4 e5 2.Bc4Seen in 2.9% of rated games

Lichess rating

C23Bishop's Opening

Games from this position (1600–1999): 137k

  1. 1.
  2. 2.
MovePlayedGamesWhite · Draw · Black
37%50k49%46%
31%43k50%46%
12%17k51%44%
11%15k51%45%
3%3,78950%46%
1%1,68449%47%
1%1,61851%46%
0.8%1,07253%43%
0.7%98051%45%
0.6%77453%45%
0.3%41049%48%
0.2%31653%44%
Practice as WhitePractice as Black

Plans for both sides

White

  • Against 2...Nf6, 3.d3 is calm and 3.d4 is the sharp Urusov Gambit.
  • Nc3 and f4 give a Vienna-style attack; Nf3 gives an Italian.
  • The bishop on c4 and a queen on h5 or f3 target f7, the pattern behind Scholar’s mate.

Black

  • 2...Nf6 is the most testing reply and attacks e4 at once.
  • Develop knights before bishops, and when a queen and bishop both aim at f7, defend it first.
  • ...c6 and ...d5 is a good plan to hit the c4 bishop with tempo.

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Bishop’s Opening at each rating

How often the position after 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.

RatingGames (Share of games)White · Draw · BlackTop next move
<1200134k4.4%52%45%2...Nf634%
1200–1599219k3.7%51%45%2...Nc634%
1600–1999137k2.1%50%46%2...Nc637%
2000+13k0.6%48%46%2...Nf644%
All503k2.9%51%45%2...Nf633%

What usually comes next

The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.

2...Nf633%3.d336%3.Nf323%3.Nc319%2...Nc632%3.Nf332%3.d318%3.Qf312%2...Bc512%3.Nf330%3.d316%3.Qh515%2...d610%3.Nf328%3.d319%3.Qf315%2.Bc4

Main variations

  • A quiet game; Black prepares ...d5. Often transposes to the Italian.

    5,947 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 46%, 4% were drawn, Black won 50%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d3 c6

  • Symmetrical. Watch for Qg4 or Qh5 hitting g7 and f7.

    61k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 53%, 4% were drawn, Black won 43%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5

  • White gives a pawn for quick development and pressure on f7.

    3,476 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 52%, 4% were drawn, Black won 44%.

    Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3

Common traps

Scholar’s mate

With the bishop on c4 and the queen on h5, f7 is attacked twice. The natural 3...Nf6?? attacks the queen but allows 4.Qxf7 mate. Defend first with 3...g6 or 3...Qe7.

In our data, the last move of this line was played in 2,057 games.

Show on the board: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nc6 3.Qh5 Nf6 4.Qxf7#(ends in mate)

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At club level

Below 1200 the Bishop’s Opening is often the start of a Scholar’s mate attempt (Qh5 or Qf3). As Black, ...g6 or ...Qe7 stops it; the trap below is the pattern to recognize.

Practice it

The trainer answers with the replies people at your rating choose, in the same proportions, and brings back your mistakes on a schedule.

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Related openings