The first capture lands on move 5.9 on average — but in the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Mieses Variation it arrives by move 2.0. Here is which openings draw blood first, and what that means for your prep.
Source Lichess·Openings 3093·Games 2,086,308,424·Covering 2023-12 to 2025-11·Updated January 2026
Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Mieses Variation is the bloodiest opening with first captures on move 2.0.
Ruy Lopez: Closed, Smyslov-Breyer-Zaitsev Hybrid is the most peaceful at move 17.8. Overall average is move 5.9.
First captures happen later as rating increases—stronger players are more patient.
3093 openings
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Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Mieses Variation is the bloodiest opening with first captures occurring on average at move 2.0. Overall, first captures in Lichess games played December 2023 to November 2025 happen on move 5.9 on average. 42.5% of games see captures before move 5, while 1.9% remain peaceful past move 15.
First blood is the first capture of the game. In Lichess games it lands on move 5.9 give or take 2.4. 42.5% of games see captures before move 5, 42.0% between moves 5-10, 13.6% between moves 10-15, and 1.9% remain peaceful past move 15.
The bloodiest opening is Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Mieses Variation with first capture averaging move 2.0. The quietest is Ruy Lopez: Closed, Smyslov-Breyer-Zaitsev Hybrid at move 17.8—a 15.8-move difference, against an average of move 5.9.
84.5% of games see first blood before move 10, and 15.5% not until move 10 or later. 42.5% see it before move 5.
Yes. 0-999 players see first blood earliest, at move 5.4, and 2500+ players latest, at move 6.6—a 1.2-move difference.
Yes. First blood comes earliest in UltraBullet, at move 5.1, and latest in Blitz, at move 6.0—a 0.9-move difference.
First blood timing reveals an opening's tactical nature. With 2,086,308,424 Lichess games analyzed, we see captures range from move 2.0 (bloodiest) to move 17.8 (quietest). Peaceful openings (1.9% games with captures after move 15) let you build; sharp openings (42.5% before move 5) force early decisions.
Most first captures happen before move 5. The distribution: 42.5% before move 5, 42.0% moves 5-10, 13.6% moves 10-15, 1.9% after move 15. Average: move 5.9. Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Mieses Variation is earliest at move 2.0.
In Lichess data, aggressive openings like Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Mieses Variation see first blood at move 2.0, while peaceful openings like Ruy Lopez: Closed, Smyslov-Breyer-Zaitsev Hybrid average move 17.8. 15.8 moves separate the bloodiest from quietest. Choose based on your style: 42.5% of games see immediate action before move 5.