Openings Other answers to 1.d4

Mikenas Defense (1...Nc6) and Other Rare Replies to 1.d4

1...Nc6 blocks the c-pawn but prepares ...e5 or ...d5 with a knight already in play. After 2.c4 e5 3.d5 the knight has to move again; after 2.Nf3 d5 the game becomes a normal Queen’s Pawn Game. It is most popular below 1200, where nearly four in ten of these games are played.

For Black1.d4 Nc6Seen in 0.3% of rated games

Lichess rating

A40Mikenas Defense

Games from this position (1600–1999): 11k

Played	Games	White · Draw · Black
24%	2,487	47%50%
20%	2,134	50%46%
18%	1,948	54%43%
15%	1,566	50%45%
8%	835	48%48%
5%	542	50%46%
5%	512	51%44%
2%	161	44%52%
1%	146	52%42%
0.7%	73	45%49%
0.6%	68	57%41%

Practice as White Practice as Black

Plans for both sides

White

2.c4 e5 3.d5 gains space with tempo; after 3...Nce7 or 3...Nd4, Nc3 and e4 give a big center.
2.d5 kicks the knight at once; after 2...Ne5, e4 and f4 gain more space.
2.Nf3 stops ...e5; a calm setup with Bf4 or c4 works well.

Black

After 2.c4 e5 3.d5, choose between ...Nce7 (heading for g6) and ...Nd4.
After 2.Nf3, 2...d5 is the most common reply and leads to normal Queen’s Pawn positions.
The ...e5 break is the point of 1...Nc6; prepare it with ...d6 if needed.

Mikenas Defense (1...Nc6) at each rating

How often the position after 1.d4 Nc6 comes up in rated Lichess games, how it scores and what players answer next.

Rating	Games (Share of games)	White · Draw · Black	Top next move
<1200	17k0.6%	53%42%	2.Nf330%
1200–1599	12k0.2%	55%41%	2.Nf325%
1600–1999	11k0.2%	50%46%	2.c424%
2000+	5,3350.3%	49%46%	2.Nf328%
All	46k0.3%	52%43%	2.Nf326%

What usually comes next

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

Main variations

The knight reroutes to g6, guarding e5 and eyeing f4, and clears e7 so the bishop can come to c5.
3,620 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 41%, 4% were drawn, Black won 55%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nc6 2.c4 e5 3.d5 Nce7 4.e4 Ng6
The knight sits on d4 until e3 drives it away.
245 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 62%, 2% were drawn, Black won 36%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nc6 2.c4 e5 3.d5 Nd4
The knight lands in the center; White uses the time for e4, f4 or Nf3.
1,517 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 51%, 5% were drawn, Black won 44%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nc6 2.d5 Ne5 3.e4
The knight simply goes home; about one in ten choose this after 2.d5.
677 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 52%, 3% were drawn, Black won 45%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nc6 2.d5 Nb8
A Queen’s Pawn Game with ...Nc6, covered in the 1.d4 d5 guide; Black develops with ...Bg4 and ...e6.
19k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 56%, 4% were drawn, Black won 40%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Nc6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4
Black hits e4 with ...Bb7 at once; White guards it with Bd3, f3 or Nd2, and later hits b5 with a4.
1,890 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 48%, 4% were drawn, Black won 49%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 b5 2.e4 Bb7
The knight heads for c7 or b4. White scores about 59% after it.
562 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 56%, 5% were drawn, Black won 39%.
Show on the board: 1.d4 Na6

At club level

Below 1200 White scores about 56% after 1...Nc6, and 2.Nf3 is the most common reply. At 2000+ the result is closer (about 51%), and after 2.c4 e5 Black even does well there, with White at about 46%. The Polish Defense 1...b5 scores about 60% for White below 1200.

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.

Practice as Black Practice as White

Related openings

Horwitz Defense
1.d4 e6
402k games
Englund Gambit
1.d4 e5
286k games
Dutch Defense
1.d4 f5
89k games