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Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense

18K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.3%

45%55%
Floor50.7%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.9%.

Measured over 18K 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 Black

Draw 4.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 18K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
18K
Best context
57.4% at 1600-1799 Blitz
Worst context
49.0% at 2200-2499 Bullet
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
95.5%
Draws
4.5%

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 · 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: 49.0% at 0-999, 43.4% 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, Bullet: 36.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 59.6% expected score (35 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 43.0% expected score (20 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (79 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (91 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 69.0% expected score (17 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (189 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (285 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 37.6% expected score (59 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (477 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 57.4% expected score (796 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 54.0% expected score (174 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 62.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (889 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (2,246 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.2% expected score (413 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 54.7% expected score (20 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (1,318 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (3,416 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (480 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 76.7% expected score (21 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 51.7% expected score (28 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (2,012 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 49.3% expected score (3,024 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (378 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (6 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (1,080 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (302 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 38.9% expected score (12 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 35.7% expected score (2 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Benoni Defense
47.5%
Variations (5)
Benoni Defense: Old Benoni
48.4%
Benoni Defense: Benoni Gambit Accepted
47.4%
Benoni Defense: French Benoni
50.8%
Benoni Defense: King's Pawn Line
50.7%
Benoni Defense: Hromádka System
49.2%
Continuations (1)
Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense, Tal Line
51.2%
Analyze Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense scores 51.3% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.7% and 51.9% — from 18K 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
18K+ 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: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate?

Playing the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense, Black wins 49.0%, draws 4.5% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 18K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense perform best?

The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense performs best for Black at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 55.3% (1.5K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 51.3% in Blitz (10K games) against 52.4% in Rapid (1.5K games).

How sharp is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense?

The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense has a sharpness score of 95.5 (very decisive), meaning 95.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 50.7%, draws 6.1% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 187 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 47.7%, draws 2.9% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 536 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 53.9%, draws 2.8% and loses 43.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.3%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 50.4%, draws 4.1% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 3.6K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 50.0%, draws 4.3% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 5.2K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 46.6%, draws 5.3% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 5.4K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 46.3%, draws 6.0% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 1.4K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 49.2%, draws 3.3% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 6.1K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 48.7%, draws 5.1% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 10K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 49.7%, draws 5.4% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games.

Is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense a good opening?

The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Czerniak Defense is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 49.0% of its games and loses 46.4%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.