 New In Chess observed in its 2000 <unk> that of the 731 @,@ 740 games in its database , White scored 54 @.@ 8 % overall ; with the two most popular opening moves , White scored 54 @.@ 1 % in 349 @,@ <unk> games beginning 1.e4 , and 56 @.@ 1 % in 296 @,@ 200 games beginning <unk> The main reason that 1.e4 was less effective than 1.d4 was the Sicilian Defence ( 1.e4 c5 ) , which gave White only a 52 @.@ 3 % score in 145 @,@ 996 games . 
