Chessy
Réti Opening: Nf6 — A Clear Advantage for White
After 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 Nf6, the Réti Opening is already in full swing. You play the simple 3.cxd5, leaving Black to decide how to recapture. This little exchange has produced a massive database of over 218,000 games, with White scoring a commanding 56.8% wins and only 39.5% losses. Stockfish agrees with the statistics, giving you an evaluation of +0.83 — a clear, lasting advantage. Below you will face the most popular replies and learn how to turn this positional edge into a full point. The interactive drill awaits; step into the white side and start testing yourself.
Play the Réti Opening: Nf6 against the engine
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Now it is your turn to sit on the white side and face these positions live. The interactive drill adapts to your moves — try it now and turn that +0.83 into a 1
Create a free account →Why 3.cxd5 Works So Well
By exchanging on d5 you immediately open lines for your pieces while keeping a solid, flexible structure. Black's knight on f6 has been forced to reveal its hand — it can retake on d5, or Black can let the queen do the job. Either way, you keep the central tension resolved in your favour. The resulting positions are comfortable for White because you have natural developing squares for your king's bishop (to g2, fianchetto style) and your queen's knight (to c3 if needed). Black, by contrast, often struggles to find active counterplay when their knight or queen sits on d5 early. The statistics back this up: across every major reply, White scores above 52%, and most options stay above 56%.
The Engine's Preference: Black's Best Try
Stockfish wants Black to play 3...c6, a pawn sacrifice to try to throw you off balance. The engine sees this as Black's only way to keep the game close, continuing 4.dxc6 Nxc6. If Black chooses this line, you are up a pawn but behind in development — your job is to consolidate cleanly. Castle quickly, bring the bishop to g2, and avoid rushing. In practice, 3...c6 is rare (only 3,461 games), but it's worth knowing because it's the hardest test. Against it, you simply take the pawn and develop: you are better, but you still have to play. The drill below will show you how to handle that position too.
What the Statistics Reveal
The data from 218,211 games is remarkably consistent. The two main replies are 3...Nxd5 (169,311 games, White scores 56.8%) and 3...Qxd5 (35,373 games, White scores 57.2%). Both are good for you. Against 3...Nxd5, you can follow up with natural development — maybe 4.g3, preparing Bg2, or 4.d4 transposing to a Queen's Gambit structure. Against 3...Qxd5, Black's queen is exposed to tempo gains from 4.Nc3. Less common tries like 3...e6 (3,277 games, White scores 57.4%) and 3...Bf5 (1,894 games, White scores 56.2%) also favour you. There is no reply in the database that brings Black's win rate above 40%.
The One Mistake to Punish
The most instructive error in this position is 3...Bg4. The database records 2,729 games where Black pinned your knight with this move, and it is flagged as a clear inaccuracy — losing about 0.7 pawns of evaluation compared to the engine's preferred 3...c6. The reason is simple: after 3...Bg4, you can chase the bishop away with tempo-gaining moves like 4.Ne5 or 4.Qb3, exploiting the fact that White's king is still safe. Black's bishop ends up misplaced, and you get free development. Whenever you see 3...Bg4 in the drill, know that you've already won a small victory — just keep pressuring and you'll convert.
Results across 218,211 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nxd5 | 169,311 | 56.8% |
| Qxd5 | 35,373 | 57.2% |
| c6 | 3,461 | 52.7% |
| e6 | 3,277 | 57.4% |
| Bg4 | 2,729 | 54.3% |
| Bf5 | 1,894 | 56.2% |
Frequently asked questions
What is the Réti Opening: Nf6?
It is a branch of the Réti Opening that starts 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 Nf6. White's most direct reply is 3.cxd5, exchanging a centre pawn and reaching a flexible, comfortable position with a clear advantage — Stockfish rates it +0.83 for White.
How should White play against 3...Nxd5?
After 3...Nxd5 (by far the most common reply, seen in 169,311 games), you can develop naturally with moves like 4.g3, preparing Bg2, or 4.d4 to take the centre. White scores 56.8% from this position, so stick to simple, active development.
Is 3...c6 a good move for Black?
According to Stockfish, 3...c6 is actually Black's best move — but it is a pawn sacrifice (4.dxc6 Nxc6). In practice it is rare (only 3,461 games) and White still scores 52.7%. Just take the pawn and develop carefully.
Why is 3...Bg4 a mistake?
The engine considers 3...Bg4 an inaccuracy, losing roughly 0.7 pawns of advantage. White can respond with 4.Ne5 or 4.Qb3, gaining time and leaving Black's bishop misplaced. Use this knowledge to punish the pin in the drill.