Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense
The Berlin Defense is 2...Nf6, hitting e4 at once and asking White how to defend it. White usually chooses the quiet 3.d3 or the gambit 3.d4, while Black plans ...c6 and ...d5 to take over the center.
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6
- ECO
- C24
- Engine
- 0.00 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 17,884 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 51.9%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- 3.d3 is the solid main line, guarding e4 and keeping a slow Italian-type setup with Nf3, c3 and short castling.
- 3.d4 gives a pawn for open lines; after ...exd4 and Nf3, White plays for e5 or Qxd4 with quick development.
- 3.Nc3 leads to Vienna-type positions after ...Bc5, keeping the f4 push in reserve.
Black
- ...c6 and ...d5 is Black's most active plan against d3, gaining central space and hitting the c4 bishop.
- ...Nxe4 is possible whenever e4 is not defended, so White cannot make casual moves here.
- ...Bc5 and ...d6 make a solid Italian-style setup if Black prefers quiet play.
Plans and pawn structure
Most games become slow Italian-type positions after d3. White plays Nf3, c3, Bb3 and castles, then pushes d4 at the right moment. Black uses ...c6 and ...d5 to claim the center, often with ...a5 to gain queenside space and harass a bishop on b3. In the 3.d4 lines the game opens fast, and tactics around f7 and e4 matter more than structure.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position 0.00: level. Its three top choices for White:
- 0.00 3.d3 c6 4.Nf3 d5 5.Bb3 a5
- −0.05 3.Nc3 Bc5 4.Nf3 d6 5.d3 c6
- −0.28 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.Qxd4 Nf6
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
17,884 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 51.9%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
Where it goes next
- Vienna Hybrid3.d3 · 7,544 games
- Ponziani Gambit3.d4 · 1,961 games
- Berlin Defense, Greco Gambit3.f4 · rare
- Kitchener Folly3.d3 · rare
- Horwitz Gambit3.Nc3 · rare
- Pachman Gambit3.Ne2 · rare
- Urusov Gambit, Panov Variation3.d4 · rare
- Krejcik Gambit3.f3 · rare
How to play against it
As White, defend e4 with 3.d3 or play 3.d4 if you want open play. Against ...c6 and ...d5, keep the bishop safe with Bb3 and answer ...a5 with a4. Do not leave e4 hanging while you develop.
Questions
What are the moves of the Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense?
The Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense starts 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6. Its ECO code is C24.
Is the Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense good for Black?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position 0.00 at depth 20, which is level. In 17,884 lichess games from our sample, White scored 51.9%. An easy, healthy choice for Black at every level; White needs to decide early between quiet play and the gambit.
What is the main idea of the Bishop's Opening: Berlin Defense?
Black develops with a direct attack on e4 and plans ...c6 and ...d5 to take the center. White chooses between the quiet d3 setup and the open 3.d4 gambit lines.
What should White play next?
The engine's first choice is d3, with Nc3 and d4 close behind. 3.d3 guards e4 and keeps a calm structure, so White can develop with Nf3, c3 and castling.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.