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Catalan Opening: Closed

835K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.5%

45%60%
Floor54.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.6%.

Measured over 835K 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 6.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 835K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
835K
Best context
58.2% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
51.1% at 1600-1799 Classical
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
93.9%
Draws
6.1%

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: 52.2% at 0-999, 60.9% 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, UltraBullet: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 54.4% expected score (634 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 54.1% expected score (868 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.4% expected score (265 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 47.0% expected score (15 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (2,889 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (3,339 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (1,011 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 57.0% expected score (20 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 58.4% expected score (58 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 54.5% expected score (8,618 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 54.4% expected score (9,787 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.2% expected score (2,653 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 47.1% expected score (84 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 46.3% expected score (226 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.1% expected score (18,848 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.0% expected score (25,696 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 55.3% expected score (6,566 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 55.0% expected score (332 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 57.5% expected score (705 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (34,997 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (56,256 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (12,516 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.1% expected score (897 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 54.3% expected score (337 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.5% expected score (49,874 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.5% expected score (104,786 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.4% expected score (22,491 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 52.9% expected score (1,707 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 52.2% expected score (159 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.9% expected score (65,537 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 54.1% expected score (127,896 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.6% expected score (24,203 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 56.8% expected score (1,328 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 44.1% expected score (74 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 54.9% expected score (81,331 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.8% expected score (100,867 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 57.5% expected score (13,983 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 61.8% expected score (307 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 76.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 57.4% expected score (33,102 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 58.2% expected score (17,865 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 57.8% expected score (1,324 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 54.4% expected score (79 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Catalan Opening
50.9%
Variations (5)
Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Classical Line
50.2%
Catalan Opening: Open Defense
52.4%
Catalan Opening: Closed, Main Line
56.3%
Catalan Opening: Closed Variation, Traditional Variation
52.1%
Catalan Opening: Closed, Botvinnik Variation
55.1%
Continuations (4)
Catalan Opening: Closed, Main Line
56.3%
Catalan Opening: Closed, Botvinnik Variation
55.1%
Catalan Opening: Closed, Sokolsky Variation
52.1%
Catalan Opening: Closed, Zagoryansky Variation
52.8%
Analyze Catalan Opening: Closed PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Catalan Opening: Closed scores 54.5% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 54.4% and 54.6% — from 835K 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
835K+ 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 Catalan Opening: Closed win rate?

Playing the Catalan Opening: Closed, White wins 51.4%, draws 6.1% and loses 42.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 835K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Catalan Opening: Closed perform best?

The Catalan Opening: Closed performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 57.7% (52K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Catalan Opening: Closed better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Catalan Opening: Closed scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 54.4% in Blitz (447K games) against 54.7% in Rapid (85K games).

How sharp is the Catalan Opening: Closed?

The Catalan Opening: Closed has a sharpness score of 93.9 (decisive), meaning 93.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 52.4%, draws 2.4% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 1.8K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 51.7%, draws 2.9% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.2%. It rests on 7.3K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 52.9%, draws 3.2% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.3%, draws 3.6% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 52K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 51.2%, draws 4.3% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 105K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.8%, draws 5.3% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 179K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.9%, draws 6.3% and loses 42.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 219K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 51.9%, draws 7.2% and loses 40.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.6%. It rests on 197K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 52.0%, draws 11.3% and loses 36.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.7%. It rests on 52K Lichess games, which average 44 moves.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 52.6%, draws 2.9% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.1%, draws 4.7% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 296K Lichess games.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 51.0%, draws 6.7% and loses 42.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 447K Lichess games.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.8%, draws 7.9% and loses 41.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.7%. It rests on 85K Lichess games.

What is the Catalan Opening: Closed win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 48.4%, draws 11.8% and loses 39.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 4.8K Lichess games.

Is the Catalan Opening: Closed a good opening?

The Catalan Opening: Closed is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.4% of its games and loses 42.5%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.