Answer 1...e6 with 2.c4
Steer the Horwitz into Nimzo or QGD structures, where you score 75% and 51%, instead of the side lines that have given you about 3 points from 13 games.
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Queen's Pawn Opening
The Horwitz Defence has your number: 3 points from 13 games.
Score40%−8% vs your average
Win chance after move 1247%same as your average
Blunders per game0.94+0.04 vs your average
Clock left at move 109:47+8s vs your average
8
76
5
4
3
2
a1b
c
d
efg
h1. d4 d5 2. Nf3
What it says about you
These are your 1.d4 games where the opponent steered away from a Queen's Gambit, usually with 1...e6 (the Horwitz) or an early symmetrical setup. You chose 1.d4, but the opponent chose the side road. Your 40% score suggests you do not have a clear plan when opponents avoid the main theory, and a lot of club players will be happy to exploit that.
How you play it
You score 40.0% (12-19-4), well below your 48.3%, and the recent trend is bad: 22.2% over the last 9 games. You leave the opening about even, with a win chance of 47.3 at move 12, the same as your baseline. It then falls to 43.3 by move 20. At 0.51 early errors per game, this is your worst opening for mistakes in the first 15 moves. 10 of 19 losses ended in checkmate, and you converted only 9 of 17 winning positions.
Last 90 days: 9 games, 22% score.
What you're missing
- 01
A plan against 1...e6. The Horwitz scores 7.1% over 7 games plus 41.7% over 6 games, roughly 3 points from 13. The English Defence (1...e6 with ...b6) is 0% over 3.
- 02
The Bxf6 tactic again. 11.b4 went from 49% to 9% when 11.Bxf6 was best, the same pattern you missed in your White King's Indian games.
- 03
King safety. 10 of 19 losses ended in checkmate and 2 are labelled mating attacks. 28.Kd2 walked into a fork with 24 seconds left (50% down to 9%).
- 04
Converting advantages. 23.e4 took you from 89% to 49% when 23.Qd4 kept control. You won 9 of 17 winning positions here, 53%, your worst conversion rate.
How to improve it
- 01
Against 1...e6, play 2.c4. You then transpose into Nimzo-Indian or Queen's Gambit Declined positions, where you already score 75% and 51.3% respectively. There is no reason to invent a new plan against an opponent who is trying to avoid your main lines.
- 02
Against the English Defence (1...e6 2.c4 b6), play 3.e4 Bb7 4.Bd3 and Nc3, Qe2 or Nge2. Watch for ...Bb4 and ...Qh4 tricks, which is how Black scores in this line.
- 03
In the symmetrical positions (50% over 6), fight for e4. Nc3 and e4, or c4 with Nc3, take away the symmetry. Simply copying Black gives an opponent rated 2102 an easy game.
- 04
Before every move in quiet symmetrical middlegames, ask what the opponent's last move threatens. 41% of your losses overall come from missing threats, and forks and mating attacks top the list here.
Where it goes wrong
Your losses in this opening, by where and how the decisive mistake happened.
Phase of the decisive mistake
What the mistake was
Variations you reach
| Horwitz | 7 | 7% |
| Symmetrical Variation | 6 | 50% |
| Horwitz Defense | 6 | 42% |
| Zukertort Variation | 3 | 83% |
| English Defense | 3 | 0% |
Winning positions converted here: 53% (9 of 17).
Recent mistakes in this opening
Your move in red, Stockfish's in black.
8
76
5
43
2a1
b
c
de
f
gh
vs Andrekov25 (2314) · 23-09-26 →
8
76
5
4
3
2a1
b
c
de
f
g
h
vs Andrekov25 (2314) · 23-09-26 →
876
5
4
3
2a1b
c
d
e
fgh
vs dejanveljovic (2202) · 22-09-26 →
876
5
4
3
2a1b
c
d
e
fgh
vs dejanveljovic (2202) · 22-09-26 →
Next steps
Review your 9 recent games
You score 22.2% over the last 9 games here. Find the move where each game turned, and check whether it was the opening plan or a tactic.
Drill fork and mate patterns
Ten mates and several forks decided these losses. 15 minutes of tactic puzzles filtered for forks, before each session.
Drill it
Puzzles built from your own mistakes in the Queen's Pawn Opening, and every game you've played in it.