Caissa Codex
B00

Ware Defense

Chess diagram: Ware Defense after 1…a5

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

931,958 games: White 54.4% / Draw 4.1% / Black 41.5%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
387,837388K
287,430287K
88,25588K
46,79047K
42,57243K
16,17816K
16,09716K
8,7968,796

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 7, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.94 White is better

Best play: 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bf4 g6 6. e5 dxe5

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

By rating

The stronger the players, the better this line does for Black: Black scores 39% under 1400, 49% at 2200 and up (wins plus half the draws).

PlayersGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
Under 1400 1.7M
1400–1799 1.2M
1800–2199 378K
2200 and up 39K
Masters, over the board 3

Master games

Rated blitz, rapid and classical Lichess games by rating band, and over-the-board games of players rated 2200+ from the Lichess masters database, updated Sep 27, 2026

Overview

Ware Defense (ECO B00, Semi-Open Games) is a variation of the King's Pawn Game, reached after 1. e4 a5 (1 move).

In 931,958 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 54.4%, Black 41.5% and 4.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 2. d4, in 42% of those games.

It continues into one named variation, Ware Defense: Snagglepuss Defense.

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How to play against the Ware Defense

The most played answer, 2. d4, also scores best for White: 57.4%, with White winning 55.4% and Black 40.6% of 388K games. Of the main answers, 2. Nf3 scores lowest: 55.9%. Stockfish's first choice is also 2. d4.

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

Popularity by year

The Ware Defense dipped to 0.03% of Lichess games in 2019 and has recovered since: 0.037% in 2025.

Numbers by year
YearShare of gamesGames
20160.035%12,343
20170.032%17,697
20180.03%23,937
20190.03%37,717
20200.032%93,629
20210.036%142,038
20220.035%133,124
20230.036%136,416
20240.041%148,428
20250.037%130,084
2026 (Jan–Apr)0.038%41,415

Share of rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500 (blitz, rapid and classical) that reach this position, by year; 2026: January to April. Which openings are rising and falling

Variations (1)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 1…a5, the position after King's Pawn Game also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “Ware Defense (B00)”. Lichess data as of 7 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ware-defense

https://chesscodex.org/openings/ware-defense