- ECO code
- A40
- Moves
- 1.d4 e6
- Family
- Horwitz Defense
- To move
- White
- Master games
- 1,773
- Average game length
- 44 moves
- Years covered
- 1858–2026
Horwitz Defense is the opening filed under ECO code A40, reached after 1.d4 e6. It belongs to the Horwitz Defense family; in the resulting position it is White to move.
Katuranga's collection of 138,070 master games contains 1,773 games on this line — the 65th most played opening in the collection. The oldest game on this line is from 1858 and the most recent from 2026. The busiest decade in this collection is the 2020s, with 674 games. An average game here lasts 44 moves.
White wins 33% of those games, 31% end in a draw, and Black wins 36%. Compared with the collection average (White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28%), Black scores better here by 8 percentage points.
From this position the most popular move is 2.c4, played in 990 games, followed by 2.Nf3 (415) and 2.e4 (272). After 2.c4 White scores 32% and Black 36%.
The name that appears most often on the White side of this line is Mamedyarov,S (43 games); on the Black side, Erigaisi,Arjun (219).
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Results in master games
- White 33% (583)
- Draws 31% (544)
- Black 36% (646)
Most played continuations
| Move | Games | White / draws / Black | Leads into |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.c4 | 990 | 32/32/36 | — |
| 2.Nf3 | 415 | 31/28/41 | — |
| 2.e4 | 272 | 37/35/28 | — |
| 2.Bf4 | 35 | 40/17/43 | — |
| 2.g3 | 23 | 44/30/26 | — |
| 2.Nc3 | 18 | 33/11/56 | — |
| 2.e3 | 11 | 27/9/64 | — |
| 2.Nd2 | 5 | 0/80/20 | — |
How the position is reached
- Queen's Pawn Game · 1.d4 · 45,810 games
Played most often by
As White
- Mamedyarov,S 43
- Rubinstein, Akiba 31
- Alekhine, Alexander 30
As Black
- Erigaisi,Arjun 219
- Hou Yifan 151
- Grischuk,A 138
Games per decade
- 1850s 2
- 1870s 2
- 1880s 6
- 1890s 10
- 1900s 15
- 1910s 40
- 1920s 85
- 1930s 102
- 1940s 25
- 1950s 44
- 1960s 48
- 1970s 46
- 1980s 63
- 1990s 110
- 2000s 198
- 2010s 303
- 2020s 674
Master games on this line
| White | Black | Result | Year | Events |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Le Tuan Minh | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 2nd Apr 2026 |
| Papasimakopoulos,Alexandros | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1/2-1/2 | 2026 | Titled Tue 14th Apr 2026 |
| Ohanyan,Emin | Nakamura,Hi | 0-1 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 29th Jan 2026 |
| Caruana,F | Terry,R | 0-1 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 19th Feb 2026 |
| Andreikin,D | Erigaisi,Arjun | 1-0 | 2026 | 1st 3-0 Thu 25th Jun 2026 |
| Nakamura,Hi | Xiong,Jeffery | 1-0 | 2026 | 2nd 3-0 Thu 22nd Jan 2026 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Horwitz Defense?
It is the opening with ECO code A40, reached after 1.d4 e6. It belongs to the Horwitz Defense family.
Is the Horwitz Defense good for White or for Black?
In 1,773 master games on this line White wins 33%, 31% are drawn and Black wins 36%. The collection average is White 37%, draws 35%, Black 28% — so this line is a slightly better bargain for Black than the field as a whole.
What is the main continuation of the Horwitz Defense?
2.c4 — played in 990 of the master games on this line.
Which grandmasters play the Horwitz Defense?
On the White side Mamedyarov,S (43), Rubinstein, Akiba (31), Alekhine, Alexander (30); on the Black side Erigaisi,Arjun (219), Hou Yifan (151), Grischuk,A (138).
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
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