https://www.chess.com/article/view/every-first-chess-move-for-black-against-e4-tiered-ranked
What are the top 5 1. e4 openings as black?
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Mar 31, 2026
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#5
Against 1. e4, I like the Scandinavian. (1. … d5). I like that it challenges White immediately, on the very first move. It’s telling White: “whatever you wanted, we’re not doing. We’re playing MY opening instead”. This can be quite effective at the amateur level where I live. There are different ways of playing it. I play the 2. ... Nf6 Scandinavian. The first couple of moves are, 1.e4 d5; 2. exd5 Nf6. It's lots of fun. 
Mar 31, 2026
0
#6
Jasonosaurus wrote:
Against 1. e4, I like the Scandinavian. (1. … d5). I like that it challenges White immediately, on the very first move. It’s telling White: “whatever you wanted, we’re not doing. We’re playing MY opening instead”. This can be quite effective at the amateur level where I live. There are different ways of playing it. I play the 2. ... Nf6 Scandinavian. The first couple of moves are, 1.e4 d5; 2. exd5 Nf6. It's lots of fun.
For a new player, there is a wide choice between 1...e5 and pushing your king's pawn two squares.
After reaching 2700 rating you may have to change your opening.
I’m kind of a new player to chess and about in 90% of my games we started with the classic 1. e4. What are the top 5 openings that start with e4