ALL 45 DEFENSES VS. E4 RANKED (Tier List)

[@isaakvandaalen3899]

Bro really put the Caro Kann over the Sicilian I am in great pain.

[@menace202]

I looked at his repertoire online and he doesn't even play the Sicilian 😂. He plays the caro-kann and e5

[@flyiscool]

@@menace202yeah maybe bc the sicilian is for grandmasters?

[@menace202]

@@flyiscool You can actually learn the sicilian at any level. The reason why it's not recommended to beginners is because it's very sharp and there's a lot of theory, but there are some variations that are easier to play than others. The e6 sicilians are the easiest to learn. Volclus recommends the Kan Sicilian in the video, which is a good starting sicilian. My best advice though is to choose one defense and stick to it.

[@isaakvandaalen3899]

@@flyiscool I'm 1600 online and love the Sicilian. Super cool opening and not nearly as intimidating to play against other 1600s. Sure, a GM would out-theory me, but a GM would out-theory me in any opening anyways. I like aggressive chess, and the Sicilian has that in spades.

[@flyiscool]

@@isaakvandaalen3899 well youll start to hate it when youre 1800 when people know their stuff

[@Eternal_notfound]

What's up guys here I am, Timestamps 0:00 Intro 0:23 Borg Defense 0:41 Guatemala Defense 1:19 Damiano Defense 2:04 O'Neil Defense 2:31 Barnes Defense 2:54 Goldsmith Defense 3:05 Fried Fox Defense 3:31 Hippopotamus Defense 3:56 Duras Gambit 4:23 Jalalabad Sicilian 4:53 Ware Defense 5:10 Lemming Defense 5:28 McConnell Defense 6:09 Carr Defense 6:20 St. George Defense 6:24 Gunderam Defense 6:59 Blackburn Shilling Gambit 7:44 Latvian Gambit 8:16 Elephant Gambit 8:41 Blackburne Gambit 9:08 Godley Gambit 9:40 Busch-Gass Gambit 10:16 Owen Defense 10:44 Czech Defense 11:34 Philidor Defense (Bro Hates this) 12:16 Rousseau Gambit 12:50 Nimzowitsch Defense 13:34 Modern Defense 14:22 Pirc Defense 14:36 Alkhine's Defense 15:15 Accelerated Dragon 15:46 Kloosterboer Gambit 16:33 Giuoco Piano (Butchered The NAME) 17:14 Valencian Variation 17:55 Stafford Gambit 19:11 Russian Defense 19:48 Scandinavian Defense 20:40 Lion Defense 21:36 Kann Sicilian 22:22 Botvinnik-Carls Gambit 23:18 Najdorf Sicilian 24:38 Open Game 25:12 French Defense 26:00 Sicilian Defense 26:40 Caro-Kann Defense (#1) 27:40 Outro + Shoutouts Didn't got bored for a second 😂 Bro's got some subtle jokes and inteded puns!! I Recommend watching the Caro-Kann Guide with Anti-Alien Gambit and You're good to go. Thank you 🗣️

[@OCLS-Crew_1]

Thank you!

[@retour.allahmaison9068]

TAL ❤ TAL = THX A LOT 😅

[@vudang8761]

The hero we don't deserve but the hero we all need🎉

[@tessa8230]

These tier lists are so wildly helpful as a beginner. It takes away all of the “what openings do I use?” and allows me to pick quickly and get back to tactics training. Please make a d4 response one as well!

[@SigurdBraathen]

I second a d4 response! :)

[@EnigmaChess]

just play Dutch

[@rubychick86]

I recommend u playing sicilian when u become higher elo

[@sebu1301]

Extremely weird list. There is ''open game'' and then there are a bunch of obscure gambits, that fall under the ''open game'', listed separately. Stafford Gambit is listed as a separate entity, but the dozens of King's Gambit versions are not. Several versions of the Scandi get their own treatment as well. You should've ranked first moves only, and ranked the different versions of Scandi in a separate video.

[@MarekMango]

the point with the scandinavian with 2...Qxd5 and 2...Nf6 are two difrent worlds.

[@sebu1301]

@@MarekMango I don't doubt that, but still the list is pretty strange to me

[@vharmi.]

We're really gonna skip past the St. George like that? That's the only flank pawn move that actually has an idea behind it, namely a6 b5 Bb7 e6 and it's like an English defense with some extra queenside space at the cost of a pawn move. Tony Miles even managed to beat Karpov with it back in the 70s. Definitely not a "nothing here" kinda move.

[@Ebobster]

Notice you did not include the Pirc defense, or the Modern/Hippo defenses, which can be played against either e4, d4, c4 or even f4. Also, wondering what you think of the Hyper-Accelerated Sicilian Dragon. Cheers!

[@Ebobster]

Ah, you have something labeled the Hippopotamus defense but it’s the old style Nh6 rather than the improved dbl fianchetto (Bg7 & Bb7) coupled with d6 & e6, with Ne7 & Nd7. Also, have the accelerated Dragon (an early Nc6) but not the hyper accelerated dragon with g6/Bg7 first, which makes a big difference as avoids the Rossilimo (Bb5 threatening to chop Nc6, doubling white’s pawns on the c file.

[@rosiefay7283]

You include some trash, and you subdivide the Sicilian, but you don't distinguish between the Ruy Lopez, Italian, Scotch and Three Knights??

[@flotto7045]

Yes, when i play black i also always go for the ruy lopez instead of the italian

[@yoavrr8786]

My list as a 1900 fide and 2200 online 1.sicilian defence 2. e5 3. Caro-cann defence 4.modern defence 5.french defence (not really my style but still great opening) 3.

[@pds4]

2200 rapid or blitz?

[@yoavrr8786]

@@pds4 rapid, 2000 blitz, i rarely play blitz

[@MeritedMasterOfTheUSSR]

whats your fide after the boost

[@pds4]

@@yoavrr8786 must be tough dealing with cheaters ;_;

[@PoliciaDeAmongUs]

12:51 My favourite opening

[@toughen2629]

When K-cann meets the alien gambit, good luck to defending the king 😅

[@opo4724]

owen defense at 23 is insane

[@gtm781]

Czech defense actually deserves more cuz thereis idea behind that and c6 prepares queenside attacks. And It's pretty solid

[@Ekinlabberer]

Accelerated Dragon is definetly better than the scandinavian

[@JiyeChen-f5p]

scandi is just completely trash

[@caksoso]

im about 1300 right now, and i've found most of my success and fun comes from taking people out of theory as fast as i can because this is around the level where everyone starts actually studying, good video

[@andremarques1088]

Ahah you think you are very smart "taking people out of theory" 😂😂 guess what, you are just worsening your position and be susceptible to tactics. You probably play like a3 or h3 to "get them out of theory". Most of the time it transpose back to the theory so it's just funny 😂😂😂

[@caksoso]

@andremarques1088 im not playing moves for no reason lol, the engine backs me up and chess is meant to be fun either way. I didn't say I was playing nonsense openings, just obscure lines to get people into a middle game they aren't comfortable with the ideas for

[@andremarques1088]

@@caksoso ok I get your point but you have to be careful, because by not playing the main move, you can be susceptible to tactics.

[@caksoso]

@andremarques1088 yeah for sure, I just find myself having much more fun in a game with weird gambits or strange attacks, whether I win or lose

[@doqe.]

Exactly this! Well not exactly im about 1000 but I love my scotch gambit as white and I look for a similar strategy for black, meaning not too much theory, quick to pull opponents out of theory, and not worsening my position too much like the risk of the Stafford Gambit. Which opening you use as black for this?

[@esquimilo4978]

14:53 dont play e6, go d6 always

[@TheArtmatician]

Yep, to challenge the center right away

[@drawduiqs]

the hippopotamus defense is not knight to h6, look up the hippopotamus defense, it is an actual formation and not just a single knight move

[@natnthehatrobinson45]

Yes, but it starts after Nh6

[@drawduiqs]

@@natnthehatrobinson45 nope there are absolutely no nh6 involved in the hippo. nh6 is the cow opening

[@Kiririll579]

You're not playing Chech defence right, point of c6 is to play Qh5 to pin the knight and control e5 square for future e7-e5

[@minortooth5744]

12:58 - Actually if you look at both engine evaluation and some game statistics in databases this should be the "slightly better" not "slightly worse" scandinavian.

[@jeretavius]

Doesn't rank the regular Sicilian Dragon... places Caro-Kann at #1. Sad!

[@prplt]

Rousseau gambit is #1 for me 😂

[@SvanteBlomqvist-b1n]

I know this is not a d4 video but I do suggest that you maybe cover the slav defense (not the semi-slav but the normal one ) I think it could be great as an easy opening against d4 for the people who don't wanna play indian defenses and such.

[@natnthehatrobinson45]

Easy??? I spent 12hours looking at it

[@ElderEagle42]

Modern scandinavian left the chat

[@Volclus]

I originally had it around #6, but it mysteriously disappeared from my list

[@mekelius]

Um i kinda question the construction of this video. Why did you pick the najdorf and kan out of the sicilians? That's just so arbitrary. And also wtf why is caro over french, french over e5 and caro over sicilian!!?? Complete nonsense.

[@skelly_snipez1291]

Najdorf and kan are arguably the 2 best Sicilians, but dragon has the least theory.

[@mekelius]

@@skelly_snipez1291 Excuse me what? Yes Najdorf is very good but Kan? To my knowledge it's not considered all that powerful. Like the Najdorf white can do a million different things, but then you don't have the e5 threat to justify that. Yes carlsen plays it sometimes, but what doesn't he. It's playable sure, but better than Sveshnikov, Taimanov etc.? No way. And dragon is non-theoretical?? Are we talking about the same opening here? Or do we perhaps somehow mean different things by theoretical?

[@KA54the]

opp: *plays c6 me: *laughs in gorilla gambit

[@lol-yz8fh]

*laughs in two knight

[@anonym5160]

Sicilian>Caro-Kann

[@rokob.9439]

Youre wrong, Caro Kann is the best

[@helium999_]

depends on your level caro is for beginner and intermediate level sicilian is for advanced level

[@hoodieking4901]

Caro Kann is my favorite

[@CovenantLazzy]

@@rokob.9439 gothamchess fan 😂

[@roserade6768]

Unpopular opinion

[@MuzitoBS]

*Ranking defenses, trash and escandinavian gambits 😂

[@Dev19158]

26:53 alien gambit !!

[@treasonouspigeonpeckers957]

You forgot the Spanish Countergambit. Such an underrated gambit

[@MI-cq7fc]

What is this gambit? Is it d5 against Ruy Lopez?

[@treasonouspigeonpeckers957]

@@MI-cq7fc Yes. On paper, it is bad and the stats also prove this but that is because Black doesn't play accurately. After 4.Nxe5, play 4...Qg5 and attack the kingside. Black has one move to be better and he never plays it. After 4.dxe5, use the engine recommendation and White will most likely waste time which will allow you to equalize.

[@MI-cq7fc]

@@treasonouspigeonpeckers957 What rating are you, if I may ask? I'd like to know at what rating this is effective for you.

[@treasonouspigeonpeckers957]

@@MI-cq7fc 1900s Lichess

[@MI-cq7fc]

@@treasonouspigeonpeckers957 Not bad! Might have to give it a shot sometime. What do you think about playing a6 prior to d5, it would be an improvement almost surely, no?

[@maximepoca9396]

Where is the modern scandi (e4 d5 exd5 nf6)? 😢 Love your videos ! Very helpfull !

[@skelly_snipez1291]

Why put French defense so high if you prefer sharper games?

[@alekhinecat]

Hi! I actually think the modern has more to it - especially in a6 b5 bb7 lines :)

[@farouqbaiti4315]

The Caro-Kann and French are my best openings.😏 Thanks for making this video.😎

[@immadoyarealgood7803]

My guy didn't include the modern Scandi... Big sad 😢

[@jimmykoh2602]

St. George defense is playable, if U r unsure, check with the mighty Stockfish. Why Ruy Lopez (Or Spanish) is not mentioned???

[@natnthehatrobinson45]

These are defences against E4, ruy Lopez is started by white

[@CheukTheGreatestOfEverything]

I am offended now, why is Nimzowitsch defence not top?

[@SVNTHR737]

because its bad

[@frozenpai]

Because it's d4 defense, you bozo

[@elkr79]

@@SVNTHR737 Competely disagree: it is more sound than Scandinavian, it is more aggressive than Caro-Kann, and, with regards to tactical opportunities, it is comparable to French and Sicilian. However, it is true that Nimzowitsch defense (1. e4 Nc6) requires some knowledge and experience of Scotch, Italian, Ruy-Lopez or Pirc, because white can play 2. Nf3, and the majority of sidelines apart from 2. .. e5 can result in positions where black has space problems. So, technically, this opening should be recommended to ELO 1700+ players, but not for lower ones.

[@SVNTHR737]

@@elkr79 ok, you can play it but why? when you have other, better options why you are playing nimzowitsch

[@elkr79]

@@SVNTHR737 because the majority of players under ELO 2000 are playing 2. d4, and it allows black to equalize and to get some initiative instantly

[@greenmoxy]

I have played #37 Duras. It's not that horrible and have won many games against 1500+ players. Best not to play it unless you have the skill advantage to back it up.

[@guest7187]

Lion is tuff ngl but you have to do a different setup to accomplish the system

[@kosmicznymuminek3455]

this is the ranking by this guy bot only 19 posible first moves for black after 1e other than e5, so breaking the symetricion. 19. Borg defense 18. O'Neill Gambit 17. Barnes defense 16. Goldsmith defense 15. Hippopotamus defense 14. Duras defense 13. Ware defense 12. Lemming defense 11. Carr defense 10. St George defense 9. Owen defense 8. Nimzowitch defense 7. Modern defense 6. Pirc defense 5. Alekhine's defense 4. Scandinavian defense (here he putted e5) 3. French defense 2. Sicilian defense 1. Caro-Kann defense

[@OP_SYLLUS]

People are absolutely correct. This is so much helpful... Like If you want this for D4 too👇👇

[@rasheau1]

Isn't the hippo 1.e4 1.e6 2.d4 2.b6?

[@teh_kaczuch]

I would beat ur az in St. George Defence

[@muchomorek1881]

I am mad that you slept on St. George defense

[@zhen7020]

Video's pretty entertaining but for anyone actually looking for which openings to learn, probably take this video with a grain of salt. No offense but an untitled player can't possibly know the in depth intricacies of all openings so some of the evaluations are completely wrong. For example, the modern defense (which I play) can actually be very aggressive with a6, b5 lines or lines where white closes the center and you immediately strike with f5. Volclus has summarised everything well however this means that he can barely cover much of an opening. The line that is shown in the video is not an accurate depiction of the modern and its nature. I'm sure this is the case for many of the other openings Volclus has covered in this video. Another point is that (no offense again) Volclus just isn't good enough to the point that he can rank all these openings. If it were a GM or IM, their rankings have legitimacy behind them but I feel this video lacks sufficient insight into the openings. Overall, I understand this video was probably super difficult to make so I appreciate Volclus' efforts but to the viewers, don't blindly trust everything and get the wrong ideas.

[@notreprojetdefamille]

Where is the pirc defense?

[@OP_SYLLUS]

Madara after seeing Hashirama: Hashiraaaaaaaammmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@emirbuba-ol2gc]

caro cant

[@yosoydela]

Witty Alien seeing this video. Alien Gambit is the best thing at chess

[@Dr.Ebasta]

Giuoco Piano is pronounced "jew-o-ko piano". You can also say "joko", as "giuoco" is just a very old fashioned word for "gioco" (game). I don't know how you ended up saying "gocho", but hey, the more you know.

[@KA54the]

I've won every single game I've played the borg. Borg is GOATed

[@joycongrip]

St george defense is much better than it seems, why did you skip it

[@grsharkgamer2249]

LISTEN philidor is good bc of the how many traps there are that your oponent can fall in also caro kann for ever

[@evopopovelorde]

Sorry i didnt read the title and just assumed it was oppening

[@togishere]

Honestly the fact that Duras is all the way up at 37 is pretty fair Oh btw I'm 2200 and Duras is the only thing I'll ever play as black against e4

[@MeritedMasterOfTheUSSR]

how long have u been playing

[@togishere]

13 years lol

[@MeritedMasterOfTheUSSR]

@@togishere finally someone who doesent say they are 2200 after learning how the pieces move 6 months ago

[@togishere]

:D Yeah, everyone tells me I had slow progression LOL

[@MeritedMasterOfTheUSSR]

@@togishere nah bro everyone who says they reached that rating fast are cheating

[@compositeur8455]

I love the carro kann but the Scilian Defense is statistically the best reply to e4

[@sharonyakimov9215]

That's not the Hippopotamus defence.

[@yubtubthumper7982]

bro did not disrespect latvian gambit, easily s rank

[@lordofutub]

It's not too late to delete this embarrassing video bro

[@daft2114]

Stafford gambit in A-Tier is a bad joke. It looses by force and even worse it's quiet common. Putting the Stafford in A-Tier is as dumb as putting the Blackmar-Diemer in A-Tier for White openings

[@tommasogiomi1245]

16:34 "Goucho Peeano" AHAHAHAHA

[@evopopovelorde]

Where is ruy lopez

[@esquimilo4978]

13:03 play e5 :)

[@mullerreus145]

Calls the blackbourne shilling terrible except for an easy to stop trap then uploads a short calling the same trap a way to DESTROY THE FRIED LIVER ATTACK. Big lmao to say the least

[@rasheau1]

Guico is pronounced joko

[@usasrimettu2860]

Open game is my best

[@동결]

아오 고담체스 시치 영미권 애들한테 카로칸을 왜케 추천해가지고 1등이 되버렸누...

[@WaywardChess]

That’s not the Guioco Piano, the Guioco piano is when whites response to bc5 is d4

[@tobias4411]

Not exactly. C:50 Italian game: Guioco piano is 4.Bc4 Bc5. And if 5.d4 (only played 4%) that is Rosentreter gambit.

[@davidbrown2625]

I haven't watched the video yet but number 1 has to be the Caro-Kann. I will watch the video now to see if I am correct.

[@davidbrown2625]

Yup I was correct

[@vudang8761]

Please❤ do 1. D4

[@anonym5160]

I like you

[@tommyvercetti1558]

dont we all?

[@lordofutub]

Wtf? Why on your channel specialised in CHESS would you basically admit you know nothing about openings?! The modern unambitious is just admitting you talk about stuff you don't know a clue about. Lil bro even shows a king Indian while talking about the modern (you delay the f6 knight in the modern). YIKES!

[@vmab1985]

Yeah, he doesn't know the difference between the Pirc and Modern.

[@natnthehatrobinson45]

Agreed it transposes to the pirc at #18 but the kings Indian???

[@evopopovelorde]

Russian defense is won of the worst If your opponent has study it

[@evopopovelorde]

One not won

[@evopopovelorde]

Because of queen e2

[@natnthehatrobinson45]

Grandmasters play the Russian all the time! If you run it through stock fish it actually quite likes it, may I ask what is your Elo? (Not trying to be offensive or anything)

[@natnthehatrobinson45]

Grandmasters play the Russian all the time! If you run it through stock fish it actually quite likes it, may I ask what is your Elo? (Not trying to be offensive or anything)

[@CraftingMan4574]

Nice

[@SadRanga6]

Goldsmith Defence Number 1!