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French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation

48K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

49.3%

45%55%
Floor49.0%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.7%.

Measured over 48K 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 Black

Draw 4.8 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 48K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
48K
Best context
51.6% at 2200-2499 Bullet
Worst context
43.5% at 1200-1399 Bullet
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
95.2%
Draws
4.8%

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 gets better as the rating rises: 44.4% at 0-999, 52.5% 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: 49.6% expected score (127 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.5% expected score (372 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 46.5% expected score (126 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 41.5% expected score (391 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.6% expected score (987 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 50.5% expected score (386 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 43.5% expected score (610 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (1,993 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.0% expected score (856 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 58.6% expected score (16 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 11.5% expected score (5 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (924 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 46.6% expected score (3,053 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.1% expected score (1,207 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 56.7% expected score (103 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 55.7% expected score (16 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (1,621 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (3,680 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 43.7% expected score (1,264 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 42.0% expected score (92 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 43.1% expected score (13 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (2,448 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (4,728 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.0% expected score (1,031 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 47.8% expected score (43 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (3,377 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (5,944 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (566 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (21 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (5,016 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (3,628 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 46.6% expected score (204 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (2,466 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 47.8% expected score (247 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 61.2% 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, Tartakower Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation scores 49.3% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.0% and 49.7% — from 48K 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
48K+ 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, Tartakower Variation win rate?

Playing the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation, Black wins 46.9%, draws 4.8% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 48K rated games from Lichess.

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

The French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation performs best for Black at 2200-2499, with an Expected Score of 51.2% (8.8K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 49.5% in Blitz (25K games) against 47.1% in Rapid (5.6K games).

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

The French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation has a sharpness score of 95.2 (very decisive), meaning 95.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 48.7%, draws 2.6% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 626 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 45.2%, draws 3.3% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 1.8K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 44.8%, draws 3.5% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 3.5K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.3%, draws 3.6% and loses 51.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 5.3K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.2%, draws 4.4% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 6.7K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.8%, draws 4.5% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 8.3K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 48.4%, draws 5.4% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 9.9K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 48.2%, draws 5.9% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 8.8K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 44.8%, draws 7.5% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 2.7K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 47.8%, draws 4.0% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 17K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 46.9%, draws 5.3% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 25K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 44.4%, draws 5.5% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 5.6K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 45.3%, draws 7.2% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 282 Lichess games.

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

The French Defense: Classical Variation, Tartakower Variation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.9% of its games and loses 48.3%. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.