- ECO code
- C23
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4
- Family
- Bishop's Opening
- To move
- Black
- Master games
- 652
- Average game length
- 45 moves
- Years covered
- 1844–2026
Bishop's Opening is the opening filed under ECO code C23, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4. It belongs to the Bishop's Opening family; in the resulting position it is Black to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 652 games on this line — the 172nd most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1844 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 300 games. An average game here lasts 45 moves.
White wins 46% of those games, 29% end in a draw, and Black wins 25%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores worse here by 3 percentage points. Draws are less common here than usual, by 6 points.
From this position the most popular move is 2...Nf6, played in 561 games, followed by 2...Nc6 (67) and 2...Bc5 (15). 2...Nf6 leads into Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense. After 2...Nf6 White scores 45% and Black 25%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Nakamura,Hi (87 games); on the Black side, So,W (22).
1 named variation branch off this position and have their own page here, among them Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense.
Reading about an opening is not the same as knowing it. Play this line against the Katuranga bot, then let the engine mark your brilliant moves, mistakes and blunders in Analysis — the fastest way to find out which of these moves you actually understand.
Results in master games
- White 46% (298)
- Draws 29% (190)
- Black 25% (164)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2...Nf6 | 561 | 45/30/25 | Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense |
| 2...Nc6 | 67 | 51/19/30 | — |
| 2...Bc5 | 15 | 53/27/20 | — |
| 2...f5 | 3 | 33/0/67 | — |
| 2...b5 | 2 | 50/0/50 | — |
| 2...c6 | 2 | 0/100/0 | — |
| 2...d6 | 2 | 100/0/0 | — |
Variations from this position
- Berlin Defense · 2...Nf6 · 561 games
How the position is reached
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 · 62,859 games
- King's Pawn Game · 1.e4 e5 · 24,632 games
Played most often by
As White
- Nakamura,Hi 87
- Aronian,L 68
- Hou Yifan 41
As Black
- So,W 22
- Nakamura,Hi 20
- Mamedyarov,S 16
Games per decade
- 1840s 2
- 1850s 10
- 1860s 2
- 1870s 2
- 1880s 1
- 1890s 6
- 1900s 19
- 1910s 17
- 1920s 19
- 1930s 1
- 1940s 3
- 1950s 3
- 1960s 9
- 1970s 13
- 1980s 26
- 1990s 25
- 2000s 88
- 2010s 106
- 2020s 300
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubov,Daniil | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | Titled Tue 19th May 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | Sanal,V | 1-0 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 15th Jan 2026 |
| Aronian,L | Nakamura,Hi | 1-0 | 2026 | Titled Tue 6th Jan 2026 |
| Carlsen,M | Martirosyan,Haik M. | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 10th Mar 2026 |
| Vlassov,N | Caruana,F | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 15th Jan 2026 |
| Wei Yi | Le,Quang Liem | 1-0 | 2026 | FIDE World Bl Team Final |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Bishop's Opening?
It is the opening with ECO code C23, reached after 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4. It belongs to the Bishop's Opening family.
Is the Bishop's Opening good for White or for Black?
In 652 master games on this line White wins 46%, 29% are drawn and Black wins 25%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is no worse than usual for White than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Bishop's Opening?
2...Nf6 — played in 561 of the master games on this line, which leads into Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense.
Which grandmasters play the Bishop's Opening?
On the White side Nakamura,Hi (87), Aronian,L (68), Hou Yifan (41); on the Black side So,W (22), Nakamura,Hi (20), Mamedyarov,S (16).
Every number on this page is computed from Katuranga's master game collection; names and ECO codes follow the lichess opening book (CC0).
Try this line on the board
Play this opening against the Katuranga bot, then review the game — the engine marks every brilliant move, mistake and blunder.