Opening name: Center Game
Opening line: 1. e4 e5 2. d4
Lichess Board
Wikibooks Page
Winning percentages
White: 510 (32.24%)
Black: 542 (34.26%)
Draws: 530 (33.5%)
Center Game
2. d4
This move by White smashes open the center and allows White to develop his pieces with very great speed. Instead of the normal 2...exd4, a countergambit can be tried with 2...f5?!, but this is quite a dubious move and is only reserved for unprepared players. 2...f5 gives white a good game after the threat of Qh5+ can't be stopped (the bishop can move and give a square to the king on f8), as after 3. exf5, Nf6?? loses to e5!, and black has two choices: letting a very dangerous Qh5+ happen or giving up the knight. Once again, unprepared opponents may be surprised by this and play recklessly, leading to possible, but rare wins by black.
Most popular responses
2...exd4 (Center Game) Lichess Analysis - Wikibooks (53026271 games)
2...d6 () This is an inferior way to enter a Philidor. This is refuted by dxe5 dxe5 Qxd8+ Kxd8 Bc4, with an uncomfortable endgame for black. Lichess Analysis - Wikibooks (12289616 games)
Engine Evaluation
Depth: 41
Score: -0.09
Best Move: exd4
PV Line: 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Nf3 Bb4+ 4. Nbd2 Nc6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. e5 Ng4 7. O-O
Historical games for Center Game
| Game | Result | Year |
| Carlsen, Magnus (2802) vs Aronian, Levon (2801) | 1/2-1/2 | 2010 |
| Nepomniachtchi, I. (2776) vs Ding Liren (2811) | 1-0 | 2019 |
| Nepomniachtchi, I. (2732) vs Carlsen, M. (2832) | 0-1 | 2017 |
| Carlsen, Magnus (2802) vs Karjakin, Sergey (2760) | 1/2-1/2 | 2010 |
| Nepomniachtchi, I. (2751) vs Karjakin, Sergey (2783) | 1-0 | 2017 |
| Nepomniachtchi, I. (2751) vs Karjakin, Sergey (2783) | 1-0 | 2017 |
| Nepomniachtchi, I. (2751) vs Anand, V. (2783) | 0-1 | 2017 |
| Nepomniachtchi, I. (2732) vs Aronian, L. (2793) | 1/2-1/2 | 2017 |
| Shirov, Alexei (2710) vs Karpov, Anatoly (2780) | 0-1 | 1995 |
| Wei Yi (2725) vs Karjakin, Sergey (2754) | 1-0 | 2019 |