How often the player who gives more checks wins a decisive game, at each rating and clock. Games average 4.9 checks.
Source Lichess·Games 2.1B·Covering 2023-12 to 2025-11·Updated January 2026
The player who gives more checks wins 67.3% of decisive games.
The player who gives more checks usually wins, but which way round is not settled: a position that is already winning may be what lets you give them.
Games with above-average check count
Games with below-average check count
| Time Control | Games | |
|---|---|---|
1Rapid | 5.6 | 304,566,875 |
2Classical | 5.5 | 11,601,244 |
3Blitz | 5.2 | 992,627,574 |
UltraBullet | 4.3 | 13,375,742 |
Bullet | 4.3 | 776,651,685 |
| Rating | Checks/Game | Your Checks | More Checks Wins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-999 | 5.3 | 2.7 | 67.0% |
| 1000-1199 | 5.1 | 2.7 | 67.7% |
| 1200-1399 | 4.9 | 2.6 | 67.6% |
| 1400-1599 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 67.6% |
| 1600-1799 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 67.3% |
| 1800-1999 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 67.2% |
| 2000-2199 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 66.9% |
| 2200-2499 | 4.9 | 2.6 | 66.7% |
| 2500+ | 5.5 | 2.9 | 65.5% |
Yes - the player who gives more checks wins 67.3% of decisive Lichess games played December 2023 to November 2025. Games average 4.9 total checks, with White giving 2.6 and Black giving 2.4 on average. Which way round is not settled, though: a position that is already winning is what lets you give the checks.
The average chess game contains 4.9 total checks. White delivers 2.6 while Black delivers 2.4—0.2 more for White (8.3% difference).
In Lichess games, the player who gives more checks wins 67.3% of decisive games — so they usually come out ahead. Checks and wins go together, but that doesn't show that checking more wins more.
White averages 2.6 checks per game while Black averages 2.4 in Lichess data. White gives 0.2 more checks per game.
No. 0-999 players average 5.3 checks versus 5.5 for 2500+—0.2 fewer at lower ratings.
At 0-999, the player with more checks wins 67.0% of decisive games. At 2500+, it's 65.5%—a 1.5 percentage point drop at higher ratings.
The player with more checks wins 67.3% of decisive games—a lead, though it does not show which way round checks and wins go. Play the checks that win material, expose the king, or force a piece somewhere worse.
Every check counts the same in these figures, so they cannot say. Before you check, ask what this one does: win material, expose the king, or set up mate.
In UltraBullet, games average 4.3 checks and the player giving more wins 66.8% of decisive games. In Classical, games average 5.5 checks and the player giving more wins 71.1%.
In Lichess games, the player receiving more checks loses 67.3% of decisive games. Castle early, don't advance pawns in front of your king, and keep defenders nearby.