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French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation

13K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.3%

45%55%
Floor50.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.0%.

Measured over 13K 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 4.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 13K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
13K
Best context
59.4% at 2200-2499 Bullet
Worst context
47.9% at 1800-1999 Bullet
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
95.8%
Draws
4.2%

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: 19.6% at 0-999, 56.7% 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: 18.5% expected score (8 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 20.6% expected score (7 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 54.6% expected score (42 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 55.2% expected score (37 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 43.1% expected score (13 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (114 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (235 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 60.1% expected score (53 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (252 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (741 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (175 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.3% expected score (9 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (489 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.3% expected score (1,636 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.4% expected score (467 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 56.6% expected score (44 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 72.3% expected score (3 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (725 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (2,725 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (828 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (44 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (724 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (1,689 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.4% expected score (468 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 56.5% expected score (14 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 59.4% expected score (543 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (315 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 57.7% expected score (142 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 64.1% expected score (109 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.1% expected score (15 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (3 games)

Related Openings

Parent
French Defense
45.7%
Variations (5)
French Defense: Knight Variation
48.3%
French Defense: Exchange Variation
47.7%
French Defense: Normal Variation
50.3%
French Defense: Advance Variation
48.0%
French Defense: Queen's Knight
48.5%
Analyze French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation scores 51.3% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.6% and 52.0% — from 13K 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
13K+ 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 French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate?

Playing the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation, White wins 49.2%, draws 4.2% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 13K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation perform best?

The French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 62.9% (127 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 50.6% in Blitz (7.4K games) against 52.2% in Rapid (2.1K games).

How sharp is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation?

The French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation has a sharpness score of 95.8 (very decisive), meaning 95.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 48.0%, draws 3.1% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 402 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 48.5%, draws 3.8% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 48.1%, draws 3.5% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 2.6K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 47.8%, draws 4.3% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 4.3K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.6%, draws 4.6% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 2.9K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 54.3%, draws 5.2% and loses 40.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.0%. It rests on 1.0K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 58.0%, draws 9.7% and loses 32.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 62.9%. It rests on 127 Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 50.4%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 3.0K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.5%, draws 4.1% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 7.4K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 49.5%, draws 5.2% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 50.7%, draws 4.0% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 112 Lichess games.

Is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation a good opening?

The French Defense: Classical Variation, Tarrasch Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 49.2% of its games and loses 46.6%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.