Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense
41K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
49.2%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.6%.
Measured over 41K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 4.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 41K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 41K
- Best context
- 54.0% at 1800-1999 Rapid
- Worst context
- 42.0% at 0-999 Rapid
- Average game length
- 35 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 95.7%
- Draws
- 4.3%
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.
Extra Analysis
Deep-dive datasets for this opening
Where it holds · Black score by rating × clock
Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 50.4% at 0-999, 45.3% at 2500+.
| Rating | UB | Bulle | Blitz | Rapid | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (580 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 46.0% expected score (1,024 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 42.0% expected score (593 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 34.0% expected score (11 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (489 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 43.9% expected score (622 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 43.4% expected score (331 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 37.8% expected score (19 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (641 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (897 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 46.0% expected score (402 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (21 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.4% expected score (1,117 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (1,557 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 45.9% expected score (470 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 39.3% expected score (31 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (1,241 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.6% expected score (3,212 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.7% expected score (420 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 67.7% expected score (24 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (10 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (2,259 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.9% expected score (5,562 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.0% expected score (768 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (21 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (3,676 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (5,687 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.2% expected score (537 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 64.3% expected score (16 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 34.7% expected score (5 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.3% expected score (4,765 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (2,449 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 47.6% expected score (184 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.5% expected score (1,216 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (149 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense scores 49.2% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.8% and 49.6% — from 41K 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
- 41K+ 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 Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate?
Playing the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense, Black wins 47.0%, draws 4.3% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 41K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense perform best?
The Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 51.2% (8.6K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 49.9% in Blitz (21K games) against 48.3% in Rapid (3.7K games).
How sharp is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense?
The Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense has a sharpness score of 95.7 (very decisive), meaning 95.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 43.4%, draws 5.7% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 2.2K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 43.1%, draws 3.9% and loses 53.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.1%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 47.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 47.8%, draws 3.6% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 3.2K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 49.5%, draws 3.5% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 4.9K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 49.0%, draws 4.3% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 8.6K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 48.0%, draws 4.3% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 9.9K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.9%, draws 5.1% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.5%. It rests on 7.4K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 41.2%, draws 5.3% and loses 53.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.9%. It rests on 1.4K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 46.9%, draws 3.1% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 16K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 47.4%, draws 4.8% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 21K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 44.9%, draws 6.8% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 3.7K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 43.1%, draws 5.7% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 148 Lichess games.
Is the Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense a good opening?
The Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit, Schlenker Defense is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 47.0% of its games and loses 48.7%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.