Opening Analysis

10 Chess Openings Beginners Keep Playing That Stockfish Hates (June 2026)

Ranked by how many real Lichess games begin with each of these objectively bad moves. We cross-referenced every popular opening on Lichess with Stockfish depth-16 evaluations. These 10 openings appear in millions of real games — and they're all objectively terrible for the player who chose them.

Data: Lichess games at 600–1,200 Elo · Lichess database · Stockfish depth 16 · 2026-06-06 · Stockfish depth 16

Rankings

# Opening Bad for Stockfish Games (600–1200) Results
1 Englund Gambit
d4 e5
Black +1.20 39,390,142
W 48.8% / D 3.6% / B 47.6%
2 King's Pawn Game: Busch-Gass Gambit
e4 e5 Nf3 Bc5
Black +1.49 14,911,594
W 52.5% / D 3.3% / B 44.1%
3 King's Pawn Game: McConnell Defense
e4 e5 Nf3 Qf6
Black +1.21 11,711,129
W 51.2% / D 3.8% / B 45.0%
4 Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit
e4 e5 Nf3 Nf6 Nxe5 Nc6
Black +1.51 7,046,171
W 45.6% / D 3.2% / B 51.2%
5 Grob Opening
g4
White -1.25 7,464,594
W 48.3% / D 3.8% / B 47.9%
6 Blackburne Shilling Gambit
e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4 Nd4
Black +1.10 8,063,226
W 46.6% / D 3.5% / B 49.9%
7 Elephant Gambit
e4 e5 Nf3 d5
Black +0.92 8,673,155
W 49.6% / D 3.5% / B 46.9%
8 King's Pawn Game: Damiano Defense
e4 e5 Nf3 f6
Black +1.54 5,035,465
W 60.5% / D 3.8% / B 35.7%
9 Fried Liver Attack
e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4 Nf6 Ng5 d5 exd5 Nxd5
Black +1.11 6,266,722
W 62.6% / D 3.0% / B 34.3%
10 Duras Gambit
e4 f5
Black +1.63 3,049,224
W 51.7% / D 3.2% / B 45.1%

#1 — Englund Gambit d4 e5

After d4 e5, the Englund Gambit hands White a 1.20-pawn advantage. Despite this, 39,390,142 Lichess games have featured it — typically because Black hopes for a tactical trick that Stockfish already refutes.

Black wins just 47.6% of those games (3.6% drawn). Stockfish's clean refutation starts with dxe5 (dxe5 Nc6 Nf3 d5).

The engine's verdict is decisive: the activity Black gains from the gambit doesn't compensate for the structural or material deficit. White's 48.8% win rate confirms how often the refutation is straightforward.

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#2 — King's Pawn Game: Busch-Gass Gambit e4 e5 Nf3 Bc5

After e4 e5 Nf3 Bc5, the King's Pawn Game: Busch-Gass Gambit hands White a 1.49-pawn advantage. Despite this, 14,911,594 Lichess games have featured it — typically because Black hopes for a tactical trick that Stockfish already refutes.

Black wins just 44.1% of those games (3.3% drawn). Stockfish's clean refutation starts with Nxe5 (Nxe5 Nc6 Nxc6 dxc6).

The engine's verdict is decisive: the activity Black gains from the gambit doesn't compensate for the structural or material deficit. White's 52.5% win rate confirms how often the refutation is straightforward.

Drill the King's Pawn Game: Busch-Gass Gambit free →

#3 — King's Pawn Game: McConnell Defense e4 e5 Nf3 Qf6

After e4 e5 Nf3 Qf6, the King's Pawn Game: McConnell Defense hands White a 1.21-pawn advantage. Despite this, 11,711,129 Lichess games have featured it — typically because Black hopes for a tactical trick that Stockfish already refutes.

Black wins just 45.0% of those games (3.8% drawn). Stockfish's clean refutation starts with Nc3 (Nc3 Nc6 d4 Bb4).

The engine's verdict is decisive: the activity Black gains from the gambit doesn't compensate for the structural or material deficit. White's 51.2% win rate confirms how often the refutation is straightforward.

Drill the King's Pawn Game: McConnell Defense free →

#4 — Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit e4 e5 Nf3 Nf6 Nxe5 Nc6

After e4 e5 Nf3 Nf6 Nxe5 Nc6, the Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit hands White a 1.51-pawn advantage. Despite this, 7,046,171 Lichess games have featured it — typically because Black hopes for a tactical trick that Stockfish already refutes.

Black wins just 51.2% of those games (3.2% drawn). Stockfish's clean refutation starts with Nxc6 (Nxc6 bxc6 Nc3 Bb4).

The engine's verdict is decisive: the activity Black gains from the gambit doesn't compensate for the structural or material deficit. White's 45.6% win rate confirms how often the refutation is straightforward.

Drill the Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit free →

#5 — Grob Opening g4

The Grob Opening (g4) gives Black a 1.25-pawn advantage according to Stockfish at depth 16. Despite this, 7,464,594 Lichess games have reached this position — making it one of the most popular objectively-losing opening choices for White.

White wins just 48.3% of those games, well below the 50% baseline. Stockfish's recommendation is d5 — a line that runs d5 g5 h6 d4.

The position violates fundamental opening principles: it fails to contest the centre, wastes tempo, or weakens key squares — handing Black a smooth path to an advantage.

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#6 — Blackburne Shilling Gambit e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4 Nd4

After e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4 Nd4, the Blackburne Shilling Gambit hands White a 1.10-pawn advantage. Despite this, 8,063,226 Lichess games have featured it — typically because Black hopes for a tactical trick that Stockfish already refutes.

Black wins just 49.9% of those games (3.5% drawn). Stockfish's clean refutation starts with Nxd4 (Nxd4 exd4 O-O g6).

The engine's verdict is decisive: the activity Black gains from the gambit doesn't compensate for the structural or material deficit. White's 46.6% win rate confirms how often the refutation is straightforward.

Drill the Blackburne Shilling Gambit free →

#7 — Elephant Gambit e4 e5 Nf3 d5

After e4 e5 Nf3 d5, the Elephant Gambit hands White a 0.92-pawn advantage. Despite this, 8,673,155 Lichess games have featured it — typically because Black hopes for a tactical trick that Stockfish already refutes.

Black wins just 46.9% of those games (3.5% drawn). Stockfish's clean refutation starts with exd5 (exd5 e4 Qe2 Qe7).

The engine's verdict is decisive: the activity Black gains from the gambit doesn't compensate for the structural or material deficit. White's 49.6% win rate confirms how often the refutation is straightforward.

Drill the Elephant Gambit free →

#8 — King's Pawn Game: Damiano Defense e4 e5 Nf3 f6

After e4 e5 Nf3 f6, the King's Pawn Game: Damiano Defense hands White a 1.54-pawn advantage. Despite this, 5,035,465 Lichess games have featured it — typically because Black hopes for a tactical trick that Stockfish already refutes.

Black wins just 35.7% of those games (3.8% drawn). Stockfish's clean refutation starts with Nxe5 (Nxe5 Qe7 Nf3 d5).

The engine's verdict is decisive: the activity Black gains from the gambit doesn't compensate for the structural or material deficit. White's 60.5% win rate confirms how often the refutation is straightforward.

Drill the King's Pawn Game: Damiano Defense free →

#9 — Fried Liver Attack e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4 Nf6 Ng5 d5 exd5 Nxd5

After e4 e5 Nf3 Nc6 Bc4 Nf6 Ng5 d5 exd5 Nxd5, the Fried Liver Attack hands White a 1.11-pawn advantage. Despite this, 6,266,722 Lichess games have featured it — typically because Black hopes for a tactical trick that Stockfish already refutes.

Black wins just 34.3% of those games (3.0% drawn). Stockfish's clean refutation starts with Nxf7 (Nxf7 Kxf7 Qf3+ Ke6).

The engine's verdict is decisive: the activity Black gains from the gambit doesn't compensate for the structural or material deficit. White's 62.6% win rate confirms how often the refutation is straightforward.

Drill the Fried Liver Attack free →

#10 — Duras Gambit e4 f5

After e4 f5, the Duras Gambit hands White a 1.63-pawn advantage. Despite this, 3,049,224 Lichess games have featured it — typically because Black hopes for a tactical trick that Stockfish already refutes.

Black wins just 45.1% of those games (3.2% drawn). Stockfish's clean refutation starts with exf5 (exf5 Nf6 d4 d5).

The engine's verdict is decisive: the activity Black gains from the gambit doesn't compensate for the structural or material deficit. White's 51.7% win rate confirms how often the refutation is straightforward.

Drill the Duras Gambit free →

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