Overview
Novosibirsk Opening Jobs in Almaty, Almaty, Kazakhstan at Chessiverse AB
Title: Novosibirsk Opening
Company: Chessiverse AB
Location: Almaty, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Articles/Opening Guides/Novosibirsk Opening
Novosibirsk Opening
+300%
A001.Nc3 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qh4
Nov 7, 2028
2 min read
TL;DR
An aggressive Dunst try: 1.Nc3 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qh4 sends the queen to a strange square eyeing the kingside. White scores 51% — concrete attacking play in a position no opponent has prepared.
Reviewed by
IM John BartholomewCo-Founder & Chess Educator
International Master and chess educator. Co-founded Chessable and joined Chessiverse as co-founder. Best known for his "Climbing the Rating Ladder" YouTube series and structured opening courses.
In This Article
- History and Notable Players
- Performance Across Rating Levels
- Move Diversity and Theory Depth
- Common Mistakes
- Practice on Chessiverse
Summary
Starting from 1.Nc3 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qh4, players enter the Novosibirsk Opening — ECO A00. With 50,321 games on record, the patterns below come from the largest practical sample available.
History and Notable Players
It arises from the Dunst Opening.
Performance Across Rating Levels
The picture changes a lot as you climb the rating ladder. Among 1200-rated players, it appears in 0.00% of games — 1,464 of them on record — with White winning 47.7% and Black 48.6%. At 1800 the opening surfaces in 0.00% of games; White wins 51.9%, Black 44%, draws 4.1%. Among 2500-rated players the line appears in 0.01% of games and draws spike to 6.8%, indicating tight preparation.
Move Diversity and Theory Depth
Looking at move selection shows how forcing — or not — the position really is. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is Nf6, played 50.8% of the time. There are 4 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 73.7% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 2.40. By 2500, Nf6 dominates at 33.4% of replies; only 4 viable alternatives remain and 77% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 2.46. Even elite players don't fully agree on the best continuation here, which keeps the position dynamic.
Common Mistakes
- Drifting away from main theory — At 400 Elo, theory adherence sits at 64.6% — versus 79.7% at 2000. The most popular deviation is e5 (played 17.5% of the time at 400, much less so up top). It looks fine but quietly hands the better-prepared side an edge.
- Neglecting development — Extra pawn moves in the opening are tempting, especially when you "know the moves". Developing a piece each turn is the simple correction.
- Playing without a plan — Each Novosibirsk Opening middlegame demands a specific approach. Decide whether the position calls for attack, manoeuvre, or simplification before reaching for a move.
Practice on Chessiverse
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Quick Facts
Main Line1.Nc3 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qh4
DifficultyIntermediate
Parent OpeningDunst Opening
50,321games on Lichess
51.2%
4.6%
44.1%
White wins Draws Black wins
Data from Lichess opening explorer (blitz & rapid)
Most Popular At2500
SharpnessSharp
Popularity by Rating
Percentage of all games at each rating bracket that feature this opening.
Data from Lichess opening explorer (blitz & rapid games)
Theory Adherence by Rating
How often players choose the single most popular move at this position. Higher = more predictable play.
Black to move after the opening line
Popularity Over Time
Share of all Lichess blitz + rapid games featuring this opening, by year.
Top Moves by Rating
Black to move after the opening line
RatingMost Popular2nd3rd
400Nf632.3%e517.5%e614.8%
1000Nf651.2%e512.5%g68.9%
1200Nf650.8%e611.7%g611.2%
1400Nf655%g612.7%e611.3%
1600Nf655.3%g616.5%e69.5%
1800Nf655.3%g617.2%e69.3%
2000Nf654.2%g617%e68.4%
2200Nf646.1%d514.9%g614.1%
2500Nf633.4%d527.9%e615.7%
Popularity by Time Control
Bullet
<0.01%158K
Blitz
<0.01%47K
Rapid
<0.01%4K
2% more decisive in bullet
Raw data tables (Lichess blitz + rapid)
Novosibirsk Opening: popularity and win rates by player rating Rating (Elo) Share % Games White win % Black win % Draw % Sharpness 400 0.00 193 37.3 58.5 4.1 0.959 1000 0.00 541 49.7 46.8 3.5 0.965 1200 0.00 1,464 47.7 48.6 3.8 0.962 1400 0.00 3,366 48.1 48.2 3.7 0.963 1600 0.00 5,585 51.3 44.9 3.9 0.961 1800 0.00 9,299 51.9 44.0 4.1 0.959 2000 0.00 14,088 51.5 43.8 4.6 0.954 2200 0.01 13,817 52.1 42.5 5.4 0.946 2500 0.01 1,968 49.2 44.0 6.8 0.932 Novosibirsk Opening: move-choice theory adherence by rating Rating (Elo) Top move Top move % Viable moves Theory % Entropy 400 Nf6 32.3 6 64.6 2.860 1000 Nf6 51.2 5 72.7 2.417 1200 Nf6 50.8 4 73.7 2.401 1400 Nf6 55.0 4 79.0 2.224 1600 Nf6 55.3 4 81.3 2.161 1800 Nf6 55.3 4 81.7 2.131 2000 Nf6 54.2 5 79.7 2.156 2200 Nf6 46.1 4 75.1 2.393 2500 Nf6 33.4 4 77.0 2.456 Novosibirsk Opening: popularity over time Year Share % Games White win % Black win % Draw % 2013 0.00 8 75.0 25.0 0.0 2014 0.00 38 39.5 60.5 0.0 2015 0.00 242 57.0 39.3 3.7 2016 0.00 608 48.5 47.9 3.6 2017 0.00 1,127 51.6 44.0 4.4 2018 0.00 2,070 49.8 46.4 3.8 2019 0.00 2,915 52.8 41.9 5.3 2020 0.00 5,869 52.8 42.4 4.9 2021 0.00 7,426 51.3 43.6 5.1 2022 0.00 7,807 51.3 43.9 4.8 2023 0.00 7,863 50.6 44.6 4.8 2024 0.00 8,451 51.0 44.7 4.3 2025 0.00 8,996 50.9 45.0 4.1 Novosibirsk Opening: popularity by time control Format Share % Games White win % Black win % Draw % Sharpness bullet 0.01 157,842 52.1 44.4 3.5 0.965 blitz 0.00 46,657 51.5 44.0 4.6 0.954 rapid 0.00 3,664 48.0 46.5 5.5 0.945 Novosibirsk Opening: top candidate moves by rating bracket Rating (Elo) 1st move 1st % 2nd move 2nd % 3rd move 3rd % 400 Nf6 32.3 e5 17.5 e6 14.8 1000 Nf6 51.2 e5 12.5 g6 8.9 1200 Nf6 50.8 e6 11.7 g6 11.2 1400 Nf6 55.0 g6 12.7 e6 11.3 1600 Nf6 55.3 g6 16.5 e6 9.5 1800 Nf6 55.3 g6 17.2 e6 9.3 2000 Nf6 54.2 g6 17.0 e6 8.4 2200 Nf6 46.1 d5 14.9 g6 14.1 2500 Nf6 33.4 d5 27.9 e6 15.7
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Novosibirsk Opening?
The Novosibirsk Opening begins with 1.Nc3 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qh4 and is classified under ECO code A00.
Is the Novosibirsk Opening good for beginners?
The Novosibirsk Opening can be played at any level. Beginners should focus on understanding the key strategic ideas rather than memorizing long theoretical lines. Our AI bots at various rating levels provide a great way to practice the opening concepts.
What are the win rates for the Novosibirsk Opening?
In a database of 50,321 master games, White wins 51.2% of the time, Black wins 44.1%, and 4.6% are drawn.
How can I practice the Novosibirsk Opening?
On Chessiverse, you can practice the Novosibirsk Opening by playing against our 600+ AI bots. Each bot has a unique playing style and opening repertoire, so you can find the perfect sparring partner for any level.
Related Openings
Indian Game: 2.Nf3 Systems
- Nf3 against 1…Nf6: White delays c4, sidesteps Nimzo theory and steers for London, Colle or Torre setups. Play vs. AI on Chessiverse.
Amar Opening
- Nh3 puts the knight on the rim from move one. Doesn't lose material but surrenders the first-move advantage. Joke opening. Play vs. AI on Chessiverse.
Amar Opening: Gambit
Amar Gambit: White sacrifices the f-pawn after the knight on h3 for sharp tactical lines from a dubious setup. Surprise weapon. Play vs. AI on Chessiverse.
Amsterdam Attack
- e3 e5 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.b3 Nf6: a hypermodern reversed setup from the Van't Kruijs move order. Rare and quietly positional. Play vs. AI on Chessiverse.
Reviewed by
IM John BartholomewCo-Founder & Chess Educator
International Master and chess educator. Co-founded Chessable and joined Chessiverse as co-founder. Best known for his "Climbing the Rating Ladder" YouTube series and structured opening courses.
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