Rat Defense: Small Center Defense
Overview
Rat Defense: Small Center Defense is a chess opening at the root of the Open Games family, classified under ECO code C00.
The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.
It is reached after 4 plies of play, with the move sequence 1. d4 e6 2. e4 d6.
Explore the position on the interactive board, study its real-world results from Lichess, and challenge the engine when you are ready.
- ECO code
- C00
- Group
- Open Games (C)
- Plies
- 4
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
5,943,711 games · White 52.9% / Draw 4.1% / Black 43.0%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| Nf3 | 1,848,111 | |
| c4 | 1,200,186 | |
| Nc3 | 1,134,044 | |
| f4 | 648,464 | |
| Bd3 | 423,961 | |
| e5 | 110,260 | |
| c3 | 108,960 | |
| Be3 | 84,607 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:00:55
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