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Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation

1.9M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.1%

45%55%
Floor51.0%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.2%.

Measured over 1.9M games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for White

Draw 4.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.9M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
1.9M
Best context
56.4% at 2000-2199 UltraBullet
Worst context
44.4% at 1400-1599 UltraBullet
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
95.9%
Draws
4.1%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Where it holds · White score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It gets better as the rating rises: 49.3% at 0-999, 53.2% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+—

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 42.1% expected score (258 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (30,237 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (86,897 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (54,869 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 53.1% expected score (615 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 45.8% expected score (888 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (48,044 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (67,790 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (29,752 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 55.0% expected score (1,590 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 45.8% expected score (3,569 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (86,859 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.7% expected score (85,923 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (24,007 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 53.2% expected score (1,996 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 44.4% expected score (10,878 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (127,588 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.9% expected score (107,248 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (23,485 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.9% expected score (2,048 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 47.4% expected score (9,752 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.5% expected score (162,411 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (124,519 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.4% expected score (21,888 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 49.0% expected score (1,375 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.6% expected score (5,709 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.5% expected score (192,109 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (143,255 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.4% expected score (16,864 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.6% expected score (633 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.4% expected score (1,365 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (173,023 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.9% expected score (106,443 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 50.2% expected score (8,881 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 44.0% expected score (180 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 50.4% expected score (249 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (113,671 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (38,635 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (2,019 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 39.8% expected score (18 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 51.5% expected score (32 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.2% expected score (19,225 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (2,480 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 54.6% expected score (31 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Alekhine Defense
50.7%
Variations (5)
Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation
47.1%
Alekhine Defense: Normal Variation
49.9%
Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation
47.4%
Alekhine Defense: Scandinavian Variation, Geschev Gambit
47.6%
Alekhine Defense: Two Pawns Attack
49.1%
Analyze Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation scores 51.1% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.0% and 51.2% — from 1.9M Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
1.9M+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate?

Playing the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation, White wins 49.0%, draws 4.1% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 1.9M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation perform best?

The Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 54.0% (22K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 50.7% in Blitz (763K games) against 51.2% in Rapid (182K games).

How sharp is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation?

The Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation has a sharpness score of 95.9 (very decisive), meaning 95.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 48.0%, draws 5.1% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 173K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 49.8%, draws 3.7% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.7%. It rests on 148K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 49.4%, draws 3.2% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 202K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 49.1%, draws 3.3% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 271K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 49.0%, draws 3.7% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 320K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 48.6%, draws 4.2% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 359K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 48.7%, draws 4.7% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 290K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.6%, draws 4.9% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 155K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 50.7%, draws 6.6% and loses 42.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 46.2%, draws 1.8% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 33K Lichess games.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 49.8%, draws 3.2% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 953K Lichess games.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.2%, draws 4.9% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 763K Lichess games.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 48.3%, draws 5.7% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 182K Lichess games.

What is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 49.6%, draws 5.4% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 8.5K Lichess games.

Is the Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation a good opening?

The Alekhine Defense: Maróczy Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 49.0% of its games and loses 46.9%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.