Bird Opening: Myers Defense
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Statistics from Lichess
37,332 games: White 50.6% / Draw 4.6% / Black 44.8%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 22,51023K | ||
| 7,0967,096 | ||
| 3,1063,106 | ||
| 2,1902,190 | ||
| 522522 | ||
| 480480 | ||
| 435435 | ||
| 188188 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.04 The position is about equal
Best play: 2. e4 Bb7 3. Bxb5 Bxe4 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Ba4 Nf6 6. Ne5 e6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Bird Opening: Myers Defense (ECO A02, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Bird Opening, reached after 1. f4 b5 (1 move).
In 37,332 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 50.6%, Black 44.8% and 4.6% were drawn. White's most played move here is 2. Nf3, in 60% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Bird Opening: Myers Defense
2. d4 scores best for White: 53.9%, with White winning 51.7% and Black 44.0% of 2,190 games. The most played, 2. Nf3, scores 53.4% in 23K games, and 2. e4 scores lowest: 52.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 2. e4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Bird Opening: Myers Defense (A02)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/bird-opening-myers-defense