Benoni Defense: Hromádka System
740K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
48.9%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.0%.
Measured over 740K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 3.8 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 740K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 740K
- Best context
- 53.7% at 0-999 Bullet
- Worst context
- 40.9% at 2500+ Blitz
- Average game length
- 36 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 96.2%
- Draws
- 3.8%
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: 46.5% at 0-999, 36.7% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (1,223 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (1,570 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 46.1% expected score (299 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 13.7% expected score (4 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 28.8% expected score (15 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.7% expected score (4,626 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.6% expected score (5,380 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 46.4% expected score (1,297 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 31.0% expected score (9 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 46.6% expected score (56 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (12,696 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (15,694 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.7% expected score (3,636 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 49.5% expected score (84 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.8% expected score (463 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.9% expected score (26,535 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (38,266 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.7% expected score (8,780 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.2% expected score (358 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 51.4% expected score (511 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (46,578 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (71,023 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (15,903 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.5% expected score (838 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 47.4% expected score (922 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (67,342 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.5% expected score (101,880 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.5% expected score (19,362 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 45.6% expected score (847 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 48.6% expected score (916 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (73,577 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (75,681 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 48.2% expected score (11,700 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 45.7% expected score (251 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 49.1% expected score (588 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (71,190 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.3% expected score (31,476 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 45.0% expected score (3,306 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 36.5% expected score (69 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 46.8% expected score (44 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 44.9% expected score (21,997 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 40.9% expected score (2,421 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 39.2% expected score (151 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 11.9% expected score (9 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System scores 48.9% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.8% and 49.0% — from 740K 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
- 740K+ 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: Hromádka System win rate?
Playing the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System, Black wins 47.0%, draws 3.8% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 740K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System perform best?
The Benoni Defense: Hromádka System performs best for Black at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 49.8% (135K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 48.9% in Blitz (343K games) against 48.2% in Rapid (64K games).
How sharp is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System?
The Benoni Defense: Hromádka System has a sharpness score of 96.2 (very decisive), meaning 96.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 49.6%, draws 1.7% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 3.1K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.3%, draws 2.2% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 47.6%, draws 2.4% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 32K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 47.9%, draws 2.8% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 74K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 48.1%, draws 3.3% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 135K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.7%, draws 3.7% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 190K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, 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 162K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.9%, draws 4.7% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 107K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 41.7%, draws 5.7% and loses 52.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.6%. It rests on 25K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 47.7%, draws 2.4% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 3.5K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, 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 326K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 46.7%, draws 4.4% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 343K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 45.7%, draws 5.0% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 64K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 42.3%, draws 6.9% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 2.5K Lichess games.
Is the Benoni Defense: Hromádka System a good opening?
The Benoni Defense: Hromádka System is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 47.0% of its games and loses 49.2%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.