Prepare against Espen Lie
IM · Norway · World #967 classical · FIDE ID 1502611
When preparing against Espen Lie, expect 1.e4 in 43% of White games. Against 1.e4 the reply is 1...e5 (53% of games); against 1.d4, 1...d5 (46%). Lowest win rate among frequent openings: Queen's Gambit Declined as Black, 28.6% over 28 games.
Our database contains 612 games by Espen Lie, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Below you'll find Espen Lie's most-played openings with White and Black, career performance record, notable wins and top events — everything you need to scout Espen Lie before a game. You can open the same data in the free interactive preparation workstation, which builds a move-by-move opening tree from every game.
Ratings
| Time control | Current | Peak | Peak date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical | 2,454 | 2,492 | Mar 2019 |
| Rapid | 2,425 | 2,459 | Jan 2014 |
| Blitz | 2,444 | 2,503 | Jan 2020 |
Performance record
| Split | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 612 | 255 | 216 | 141 | 41.7% |
| As White | 307 | 143 | 104 | 60 | 46.6% |
| As Black | 305 | 112 | 112 | 81 | 36.7% |
Move-by-move preparation stats
Straight from the preparation tree built over all of Espen Lie's games — the same tree the interactive prep board lets you walk to any depth. Scores are from Espen Lie's side.
First moves as White (307 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e4 | 131 | 42.7% | 62.6% |
| c4 | 94 | 30.6% | 61.7% |
| Nf3 | 69 | 22.5% | 66.7% |
| g3 | 8 | 2.6% | 81.3% |
| d4 | 5 | 1.6% | 50.0% |
Main lines as White
- 1.e4 — 43% of White games, 62.6% score
- …c5 (29% of these games) — Lie usually continues Nf3 (70.8% score)
- …e5 (25% of these games) — Lie usually continues Nf3 (66.7% score)
- …c6 (16% of these games) — Lie usually continues d4 (59.5% score)
- 1.c4 — 31% of White games, 61.7% score
- …Nf6 (27% of these games) — Lie usually continues g3 (72.0% score)
- …e5 (20% of these games) — Lie usually continues g3 (69.4% score)
- …c5 (15% of these games) — Lie usually continues g3 (46.4% score)
As Black against 1.e4 (128 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| e5 | 68 | 53.1% | 55.9% |
| Nf6 | 37 | 28.9% | 64.9% |
| g6 | 11 | 8.6% | 72.7% |
| d6 | 5 | 3.9% | 50.0% |
| c5 | 5 | 3.9% | 20.0% |
| d5 | 2 | 1.6% | 50.0% |
As Black against 1.d4 (114 games)
| Move | Games | Share | Player score |
|---|---|---|---|
| d5 | 53 | 46.5% | 49.1% |
| Nf6 | 48 | 42.1% | 55.2% |
| g6 | 8 | 7.0% | 25.0% |
| d6 | 5 | 4.4% | 80.0% |
Espen Lie's chess games
All 612 games by Espen Lie in the Chess.ceo database (Apr 2003 - Jul 2026) are free to browse, search and replay: filter by opening, opponent, event or date on the player page, or step through any game on the analysis board. Record: 255 wins, 216 draws, 141 losses.
Openings as White
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D11 | Réti Opening | 43 | 23/14/6 | 53.5% |
| A13 | English Opening | 33 | 16/14/3 | 48.5% |
| A29 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 19 | 11/4/4 | 57.9% |
| A36 | English Opening: Symmetrical | 18 | 6/5/7 | 33.3% |
| A26 | Modern Defense | 15 | 9/4/2 | 60.0% |
| B20 | Sicilian | 14 | 7/6/1 | 50.0% |
| B12 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | 14 | 7/4/3 | 50.0% |
| C56 | Italian Game | 11 | 4/5/2 | 36.4% |
| A14 | English Opening: Neo-Catalan | 10 | 6/2/2 | 60.0% |
| A11 | English Opening: Slav Setup | 9 | 2/5/2 | 22.2% |
Openings as Black
| ECO | Opening | Games | W/D/L | Win rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| B04 | Alekhine Defense | 35 | 16/12/7 | 45.7% |
| D34 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 28 | 8/13/7 | 28.6% |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 22 | 9/6/7 | 40.9% |
| C97 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | 22 | 10/6/6 | 45.5% |
| C50 | Italian Game | 15 | 6/4/5 | 40.0% |
| A61 | Benoni Defense | 14 | 7/4/3 | 50.0% |
| A36 | English Opening | 13 | 2/6/5 | 15.4% |
| E94 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | 12 | 5/5/2 | 41.7% |
| D02 | Indian Defense | 12 | 3/6/3 | 25.0% |
| A84 | Queen's Pawn Game | 11 | 7/1/3 | 63.6% |
Notable wins
| Date | Opponent | Elo | Event | ECO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2023 | Aryan Tari | 2,653 | ch-NOR Rapid | A37 |
| Nov 2007 | Daniel Stellwagen | 2,639 | 16th chT-EU | B48 |
| Jul 2012 | Jon Ludvig Hammer | 2,638 | ch-NOR | A13 |
| Aug 2007 | Victor Mikhalevski | 2,598 | Arctic Chess Challenge | A64 |
| Mar 2008 | Mohamad Al Modiahki | 2,569 | 23rd Reykjavik Open | B92 |
Top events
| Event | Year | Games | Score | TPR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ch-NOR | 2017 | 91 | 51.5 | 2,432 |
| Titled Tuesday | 2025 | 30 | 15.5 | 2,276 |
| Troll Masters | 2002 | 27 | 12.5 | 2,174 |
| Kragero Open | 2020 | 26 | 16 | 2,430 |
| chT-NOR | 2006 | 25 | 12 | 2,260 |
| Arctic Chess Challenge | 2010 | 18 | 11.5 | 2,483 |
| Gausdal Classics IM | 2003 | 11 | 7 | 2,412 |
| chT-NOR 1415 | 2015 | 11 | 8 | 2,490 |
Frequent opponents
Head-to-head records: Oystein Hole (16 games)
Interactive opening tree from all 612 games, weak-spot detection and engine analysis.
Start preparationFrequently asked questions
Where can I find Espen Lie's chess games?
612 games by Espen Lie, from Apr 2003 to Jul 2026, are free to browse and replay move by move — no signup needed. The preparation view groups them into an opening tree showing every line Espen Lie has played.
What does Espen Lie play on the first move as White?
Across 307 games with White in our database, Espen Lie opens with 1.e4 (43% of games), 1.c4 (31% of games), 1.Nf3 (22% of games). Against 1.e4 as Black, Espen Lie answers 1...e5 (53% of games), 1...Nf6 (29% of games), 1...g6 (9% of games). Against 1.d4: 1...d5 (46% of games), 1...Nf6 (42% of games), 1...g6 (7% of games).
What openings does Espen Lie play as White?
As White, Espen Lie's most-played openings in our database are: Réti Opening (43 games, 53.5% win rate); English Opening (33 games, 48.5% win rate); English Opening: Reverse Sicilian (19 games, 57.9% win rate). The full breakdown of 307 games with White is in the table above.
What openings does Espen Lie play as Black?
As Black, Espen Lie most often plays: Alekhine Defense (35 games, 45.7% win rate); Queen's Gambit Declined (28 games, 28.6% win rate); Modern Defense (22 games, 40.9% win rate). See the table above for the top ten Black openings across 305 games.
What is Espen Lie's FIDE rating?
Espen Lie is currently rated 2,454 in classical chess, 2,425 in rapid and 2,444 in blitz. Peak classical rating: 2,492 (Mar 2019).
How many games has Espen Lie played?
Our database contains 612 games by Espen Lie, covering Apr 2003 to Jul 2026. Overall record: 255 wins, 216 draws, 141 losses (41.7% win rate).
How do I prepare against Espen Lie?
612 games by Espen Lie reveal their opening repertoire, most-played lines, and the variations where they score worst — the raw material for targeted preparation. The interactive opening tree lets you walk every line to any depth.