Openings Rare first moves
Van’t Kruijs Opening (1.e3): Setups and Stats by Rating
1.e3 opens the f1 bishop and the queen’s diagonal but takes no central square. It often transposes: with d4 later it becomes a quiet 1.d4 system, with b3 a Nimzo-Larsen, with c4 an English. It is especially common below 1200, where nearly three in ten of the 1.e3 games here are played.
A00Van't Kruijs Opening
Games from this position (1600–1999): 76k
- 1.
| Move | Played | Games | White · Draw · Black |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35% | 27k | ||
| 23% | 17k | ||
| 11% | 8,147 | ||
| 9% | 6,879 | ||
| 5% | 3,986 | ||
| 5% | 3,590 | ||
| 4% | 3,225 | ||
| 3% | 2,390 | ||
| 2% | 1,869 | ||
| 1% | 915 | ||
| 0.9% | 687 |
Plans for both sides
White
- Follow with d4 for a Colle- or London-like setup, or b3 and Bb2 for a Nimzo-Larsen.
- Against 1...e5, 2.d4 hits the center at once and is the most common move at every level.
- An early Qh5 or Qf3 with Bc4 sets traps but is easy to meet with ...Nc6, ...g6 or ...Qe7.
Black
- Take the center: 1...e5 and 1...d5 are the most common and the most natural.
- After 1...e5 2.d4, 2...exd4 3.exd4 d5 gives a symmetrical, easy game.
- Watch f7 against early Qh5 and Bc4 ideas.
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Van’t Kruijs Opening (1.e3) at each rating
How often the position after 1.e3 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 | 78k2.6% | 1...e553% | |
| 1200–1599 | 106k1.8% | 1...e546% | |
| 1600–1999 | 76k1.2% | 1...e535% | |
| 2000+ | 14k0.7% | 1...d526% | |
| All | 274k1.6% | 1...e544% |
What usually comes next
The most played moves from here, all ratings together. Thicker line = played more often.
Main variations
After 2...exd4 3.exd4 d5 the pawns are symmetrical and the game is quiet.
106k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 48%, 5% were drawn, Black won 47%.
Show on the board: 1.e3 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.exd4 d5A Nimzo-Larsen setup with e3 already played; the b2 bishop hits e5.
18k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 53%, 4% were drawn, Black won 43%.
Show on the board: 1.e3 e5 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 Nc6This becomes a Colle System, which has its own guide.
18k games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 52%, 5% were drawn, Black won 43%.
Show on the board: 1.e3 d5 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nf3 e6 4.Bd3A quick shot at f7 and e5; ...Nc6 and ...g6 shut it down, and the queen has to move again.
1,279 games from this position (all ratings, any move order). White won 49%, 2% were drawn, Black won 48%.
Show on the board: 1.e3 e5 2.Qh5 Nc6 3.Bc4 g6
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At club level
Below 1200, about half the players answer 1.e3 with 1...e5, and 2.Qh5 is then White’s second most common move. At 2000+ replies spread out, and after 1...e5 2.d4 leads at 38%. White scores about 50% after 1.e3 at every level.
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.