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Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation

69K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.1%

45%60%
Floor53.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.4%.

Measured over 69K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 5.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 69K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
69K
Best context
62.8% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
50.0% at 1600-1799 Bullet
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
94.7%
Draws
5.3%

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.

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: 33.0% at 0-999, 63.8% 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: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 61.1% expected score (30 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 27.8% expected score (12 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 44.2% expected score (119 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (96 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (16 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (374 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 53.6% expected score (416 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 56.9% expected score (64 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (1,024 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (1,923 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.7% expected score (231 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (9 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.9% expected score (2,614 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (6,979 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (964 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 40.9% expected score (59 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (4,493 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (14,397 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.9% expected score (1,770 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 52.7% expected score (91 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.9% expected score (8,296 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.9% expected score (15,990 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.3% expected score (1,378 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 62.8% expected score (26 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 57.7% expected score (5,111 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 62.8% expected score (2,648 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 69.3% expected score (66 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 65.4% expected score (5 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, New York Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation scores 54.1% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.8% and 54.4% — from 69K 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
69K+ 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, New York Variation win rate?

Playing the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation, White wins 51.4%, draws 5.3% and loses 43.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 69K rated games from Lichess.

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

The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 59.5% (7.8K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For White, the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 54.2% in Blitz (42K games) against 53.7% in Rapid (4.5K games).

How sharp is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation?

The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation has a sharpness score of 94.7 (decisive), meaning 94.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 48.0%, draws 1.1% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 233 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 51.2%, draws 2.2% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 857 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 48.7%, draws 2.8% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 3.2K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 49.0%, draws 4.1% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.4%, draws 5.0% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 52.2%, draws 6.0% and loses 41.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.2%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2500+, White wins 56.0%, draws 6.9% and loses 37.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.5%. It rests on 7.8K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

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

In Bullet, White wins 52.0%, draws 3.8% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 22K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, White wins 51.3%, draws 5.8% and loses 42.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.2%. It rests on 42K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, White wins 50.2%, draws 7.0% and loses 42.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 4.5K Lichess games.

What is the Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 47.1%, draws 9.9% and loses 43.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 195 Lichess games.

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

The Benoni Defense: Classical Variation, New York Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.4% of its games and loses 43.3%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.