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Queen's Pawn Game: Levitsky Attack: what should White play?
Best move
e3+0.13
By playing e3, you solidify your center and open the diagonal for your f1. This move creates a rock-solid pawn chain that blunts Black's kingside aggression while preparing for…
- Games played
- 101K
- To move
- White
- Evaluation
- +0.13
- Depth
- 22
Game counts: Lichess opening book. Move ranking and evaluation: Stockfish. How this page is built
Why e3 is the best move
e3! — Excellent Choice!
✅ One of 2 top moves — you found a winning strategy!
Why this move is excellent:
By playing e3, you solidify your center and open the diagonal for your f1. This move creates a rock-solid pawn chain that blunts Black's kingside aggression while preparing for natural development.
Multiple Valid Strategies
| Move | Eval | Style / Strategic Idea |
|---|---|---|
| e3 | +0.13 | Solid & Classical: Prioritizes the center and prepares d3. |
| Nd2 | +0.07 | Flexible Development: Keeps the c3 square open for a future pawn push. |
Different paths, same destination: While e3 is the most popular choice among humans (29%), Nd2 is a sophisticated alternative. Your choice is the most direct way to stabilize the position, whereas the Knight move keeps Black guessing about your setup. Both moves correctly ignore Black's premature kingside expansion to focus on central control.
Your Continuation
After e3:
Bg7 c3 c5 Bd3
What Made This Move Good
You correctly saw: That there was no need to panic about Black's pawns on g5 and h6. Instead of reacting defensively, you focused on completing your development. Many players at the 1100-1500 level mistakenly try Be5, which actually loses the advantage by allowing Black to trade off pieces and simplify. By playing e3, you keep the tension and maintain a slight edge.
📚 Takeaway: In positions with multiple good moves, trust your style! Whether you prefer the solid structure of e3 or the flexibility of Nd2, both lead to a great game.
What else gets played here
Move choices from 101K games in the opening book, with the engine's evaluation of each.
| Move | Evaluation | Played | Games | White score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| e3Engine pick | +0.13 | 67K | 57% | |
| h4 | -0.08 | 11K | 52% | |
| Nc3 | -0.04 | 10K | 57% | |
| Nf3 | -0.14 | 8.9K | 56% | |
| Nd2 | +0.07 | 4.3K | 60% |
More positions in the Queen's Pawn Game
- Best moveNf6Knight g8 → f6Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation140M games
- Best movec5Pawn c7 → c5Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System88M games
- Best movee4Pawn e2 → e4Queen's Pawn Game: Modern Defense62M games
- Best moveNf6Knight g8 → f6Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation46M games
- Best movee3Pawn e2 → e3Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System27M games
- Best movec4Pawn c2 → c4Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation22M games
Frequently asked questions
What is the best move for White in the Queen's Pawn Game: Levitsky Attack?
e3 (+0.13). By playing e3, you solidify your center and open the diagonal for your f1. This move creates a rock-solid pawn chain that blunts Black's kingside aggression while preparing for…
Why is e3 the best move here?
By playing e3, you solidify your center and open the diagonal for your f1. This move creates a rock-solid pawn chain that blunts Black's kingside aggression while preparing for natural development.
How often does this position occur?
This position has been reached 101K times in the opening book.