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Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line

21K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.4%

45%55%
Floor49.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 50.9%.

Measured over 21K 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 4.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 21K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
21K
Best context
51.9% at 2200-2499 Blitz
Worst context
48.6% at 2000-2199 Rapid
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
95.3%
Draws
4.7%

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 falls away as the rating rises: 59.0% at 0-999, 52.3% 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: 74.2% expected score (13 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 32.8% expected score (13 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 38.7% expected score (65 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 59.4% expected score (41 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 61.8% expected score (7 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.4% expected score (124 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (126 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 60.2% expected score (33 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (277 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 43.3% expected score (441 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.6% expected score (91 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (552 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (939 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.4% expected score (181 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 38.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (1,064 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (2,312 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (421 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 52.1% expected score (22 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (1,630 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (4,437 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (507 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 40.2% expected score (24 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 51.7% expected score (28 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (2,429 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (3,670 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 53.2% expected score (315 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (1,155 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (336 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (13 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%
Analyze Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line scores 50.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.8% and 50.9% — from 21K 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
21K+ 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, Main Line win rate?

Playing the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line, White wins 48.0%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 21K rated games from Lichess.

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

The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line performs best for White at 2200-2499, with an Expected Score of 51.3% (6.5K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For White, the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 50.3% in Blitz (12K games) against 50.4% in Rapid (1.6K games).

How sharp is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line?

The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line has a sharpness score of 95.3 (very decisive), meaning 95.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 45.9%, draws 3.9% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 113 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 50.4%, draws 1.9% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 283 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 46.0%, draws 2.4% and loses 51.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.2%. It rests on 813 Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 48.5%, draws 2.7% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 47.5%, draws 4.4% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 3.8K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 47.8%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 6.6K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 48.4%, draws 5.7% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 6.5K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

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

At 2500+, White wins 48.1%, draws 6.3% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

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

In Bullet, White wins 48.8%, draws 3.4% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 7.3K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, White wins 47.6%, draws 5.4% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 12K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, White wins 47.5%, draws 5.7% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games.

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

The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, Main Line is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.0% of its games and loses 47.3%. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.