Caissa Codex
A09

Réti Opening: Penguin Variation

Chess diagram: Réti Opening: Penguin Variation after 3. Rg1

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Statistics from Lichess

67 games: White 47.8% / Draw 6.0% / Black 46.3%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
3535
1919
44
33
22
11
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11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

−1.28 Black is better

Best play: 3... Nc6 4. b4 Nxb4 5. Qa4+ Nc6 6. Ne5 Qd6 7. f4 Qh6 8. g3

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

Réti Opening: Penguin Variation (ECO A09, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Réti Opening: Advance Variation, reached after 1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 d4 3. Rg1 (3 moves).

In 67 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 47.8%, Black 46.3% and 6.0% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…c5, in 52% of those games. That is too few games for the percentages to mean much.

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Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3. Rg1, the position after Réti Opening: Advance Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Réti Opening: Penguin Variation (A09)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/reti-opening-penguin-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/reti-opening-penguin-variation