Is the Chessbook Open Game (1.e4 e5) repertoire free?

Yes. Studying it on Chessbook is free, and so is the PGN download, which needs no account.

Can I download it as a PGN?

Yes: https://chessbook.com/courses/open-game-black.pgn?band=1400-1600. Pick your rating first to download the version for your level. It imports into Lichess studies, ChessBase and other tools.

Why does it depend on my rating?

The main Black choices stay the same, but opponents at different ratings play different moves. Each rating's version prepares for the replies you will actually face, using millions of games between players at that level.

How much does it cover?

Every opponent reply that comes up in at least 1 game in 200 at your rating, picking lines that score well and are easy to remember.

Open Game (1.e4 e5) repertoire for Black

By Chessbook. Free, with a PGN download.

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The core of the repertoire is the same at every rating. Enter your rating to maximize performance against your opponents.

Tuned for Lichess 1400-1600: 95 moves.

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[Event "Chessbook Open Game (1.e4 e5) repertoire (1400-1600)"]
[Site "https://chessbook.com/courses/open-game-black"]
[Annotator "Chessbook"]
[Result "*"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 ( 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Nf3 ( 3. d3 Bc5 4. Nf3 h6 ) ( 3. Qf3 Qf6 ) (
3. Qh5 Qe7 ) ( 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. Nxe4 d5 6. Bxd5 Qxd5 ) ( 3. c3 Nf6 )
3... f5 4. exf5 ( 4. d3 Bc5 5. O-O ( 5. Ng5 f4 6. Nf7 Qh4 7. O-O Nf6 8. Nxh8 Ng4
) ( 5. Nc3 d6 6. O-O ( 6. Bg5 Nf6 7. Nd5 h6 ) 6... f4 ) ( 5. Bg5 Nf6 6. Nc3 Na5
) ( 5. Be3 Bxe3 ) 5... d6 6. Nc3 ) ( 4. d4 fxe4 5. Nxe5 d5 6. Qh5+ ( 6. Bb5 Qd6
) 6... g6 7. Nxg6 Nf6 ) ( 4. Nc3 fxe4 5. Nxe4 d5 ) 4... e4 5. Ng1 ( 5. Qe2 Qe7
6. Ng1 Nf6 7. d3 ( 7. Nc3 Nd4 8. Qd1 d5 ) 7... Nd4 ) 5... Nf6 6. d3 ( 6. Nc3 d5
) 6... d5 7. Bb5 ( 7. Bb3 Bxf5 ) 7... Bxf5 ) ( 2. Nc3 Bc5 3. Nf3 ( 3. Bc4 Qh4
4. Qf3 ( 4. Qe2 Nc6 ) 4... Nf6 ) ( 3. f4 d6 ) 3... d6 4. Bc4 Nc6 ) ( 2. d4 exd4
3. Qxd4 ( 3. c3 d5 ) ( 3. Nf3 d5 ) 3... Nc6 4. Qd1 Nf6 ) ( 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 (
3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Nxe5 Nc6 ) 3... c6 4. dxc6 Nxc6 5. Nf3 e4 ) ( 2. d3 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6
) ( 2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 ) ( 2. Qf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 ) 2... Nc6 3. Bc4 ( 3. d4 exd4
4. Nxd4 ( 4. Bc4 d6 5. Nxd4 Be7 ) ( 4. Ng5 Bb4+ 5. c3 dxc3 ) ( 4. c3 d5 )
4... Qh4 5. Nxc6 ( 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Nxc6 ( 6. Be2 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Qxe4 ) 6... Qxe4+ )
5... Qxe4+ 6. Qe2 ( 6. Be2 dxc6 ) 6... Qxe2+ 7. Bxe2 dxc6 8. O-O Bf5 ) ( 3. Bb5
f5 4. Bxc6 ( 4. exf5 e4 5. Bxc6 ( 5. Qe2 Qe7 ) 5... dxc6 6. Qe2 Qe7 7. Nd4 Qe5 )
( 4. d3 d6 5. O-O Nf6 ) ( 4. Nc3 Nf6 ) ( 4. d4 fxe4 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 ) 4... dxc6
5. Nxe5 ( 5. exf5 e4 ) 5... Qd4 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Nxg6 hxg6 8. Qxg6+ Kd8 ) ( 3. Nc3
Nf6 4. Bc4 ( 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bb4 6. Nxc6 bxc6 ) ( 4. Bb5 Bc5 ) ) ( 3. c3 d5
4. exd5 Qxd5 ) *

About this repertoire

Classical 1...e5 against 1.e4, with answers to the Italian, Ruy Lopez, Scotch, Vienna and gambits.

Chessbook's Open Game (1.e4 e5) repertoire for Black, built from millions of games between players at your rating. It covers the moves your opponents actually play, to a 1-in-200 coverage target, and picks lines that score well and are easy to remember.

It's free: study it on Chessbook with spaced repetition, or download the PGN.