---
license: cc0-1.0
task_categories:
  - text-generation
  - reinforcement-learning
language:
  - en
tags:
  - chess
  - games
  - lichess
  - pgn
  - openings
pretty_name: Lichess Elite Database
size_categories:
  - 10M<n<100M
---

# Lichess Elite Database

A curated collection of high-level chess games from [Lichess.org](https://lichess.org), extracted from the [Lichess Elite Database](https://database.nikonoel.fr/) by nikonoel.

## Dataset Description

This dataset contains **26.3 million games** played by strong players on Lichess, filtered to include only:
- **White player**: rated 2400+ (2500+ from Dec 2021)
- **Black player**: rated 2200+ (2300+ from Dec 2021)
- **Time controls**: Rapid and Blitz (bullet excluded)
- **Variant**: Standard chess only

### Source
Original data compiled by [nikonoel](https://lichess.org/@/nikonoel) from the [Lichess Open Database](https://database.lichess.org/).

## Dataset Structure

| Column | Type | Description |
|--------|------|-------------|
| `event` | string | Game event (e.g., "Rated Blitz game") |
| `site` | string | Lichess game URL |
| `white` | string | White player username |
| `black` | string | Black player username |
| `result` | string | Game result: `1-0`, `0-1`, `1/2-1/2` |
| `utcdate` | string | Game date (YYYY.MM.DD) |
| `utctime` | string | Game start time (HH:MM:SS) |
| `whiteelo` | int | White player's rating |
| `blackelo` | int | Black player's rating |
| `whiteratingdiff` | string | White's rating change |
| `blackratingdiff` | string | Black's rating change |
| `eco` | string | ECO opening code |
| `opening` | string | Opening name |
| `timecontrol` | string | Time control (e.g., "180+0", "600+0") |
| `termination` | string | How game ended (Normal, Time forfeit, etc.) |
| `moves` | string | Full game in SAN notation |

## Use Cases

- **Opening preparation**: Study how strong players handle specific openings
- **Chess engine training**: Train or fine-tune chess models
- **Game analysis**: Statistical analysis of high-level play
- **Move prediction**: Sequence modeling for next-move prediction
- **Style analysis**: Study playing patterns of titled players

## Usage
```python
from datasets import load_dataset

dataset = load_dataset("nuriyev/lichess-elite")

# Filter by opening
sicilian = dataset["train"].filter(lambda x: x["eco"].startswith("B"))

# Filter by rating
super_gm = dataset["train"].filter(lambda x: x["whiteelo"] >= 2700)
```

## Citation

If you use this dataset, please credit the original source:
```bibtex
@misc{lichess_elite_database,
  author = {nikonoel},
  title = {Lichess Elite Database},
  year = {2020-2025},
  url = {https://database.nikonoel.fr/}
}
```

## License

The original Lichess game data is released under [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/).

## Acknowledgments

- [nikonoel](https://lichess.org/@/nikonoel) for curating and maintaining the Lichess Elite Database
- [Lichess.org](https://lichess.org) for making game data freely available