French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation
70K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
48.0%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 48.3%.
Measured over 70K games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 3.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 70K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 70K
- Best context
- 53.0% at 0-999 Bullet
- Worst context
- 45.6% at 1200-1399 Rapid
- Average game length
- 32 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 96.1%
- Draws
- 3.9%
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: 57.3% at 0-999, 40.3% 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: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (992 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (4,074 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (2,680 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 74.2% expected score (13 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 60.4% expected score (13 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.7% expected score (1,486 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.1% expected score (4,290 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 45.9% expected score (3,075 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (60 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 62.7% expected score (30 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 45.7% expected score (2,023 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.6% expected score (4,788 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 45.6% expected score (2,948 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 42.7% expected score (121 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 42.1% expected score (62 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (2,415 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.4% expected score (5,032 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.3% expected score (2,774 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 51.6% expected score (188 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 44.9% expected score (87 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (2,591 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (4,539 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (2,102 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 45.4% expected score (116 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 46.6% expected score (28 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (2,609 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (3,881 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.8% expected score (1,228 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 35.7% expected score (65 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 39.1% expected score (26 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (2,665 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.5% expected score (3,767 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.5% expected score (527 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (16 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (3,365 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (3,549 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (275 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (1,068 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 39.9% expected score (487 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 43.3% expected score (6 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation scores 48.0% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.7% and 48.3% — from 70K 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
- 70K+ 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: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate?
Playing the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation, Black wins 46.0%, draws 3.9% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 70K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation perform best?
The French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation performs best for Black at 2200-2499, with an Expected Score of 49.7% (7.2K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 48.1% in Blitz (34K games) against 47.4% in Rapid (16K games).
How sharp is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation?
The French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation has a sharpness score of 96.1 (very decisive), meaning 96.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 32 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 47.4%, draws 4.1% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 7.8K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 45.1%, draws 3.4% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 8.9K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 45.0%, draws 3.1% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 9.9K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 46.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 10K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 46.1%, draws 3.3% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 9.4K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 46.1%, draws 4.4% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 7.8K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.6%, draws 4.3% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 7.0K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 46.9%, draws 5.5% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 7.2K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 41.4%, draws 8.2% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 46.4%, draws 1.0% and loses 52.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 256 Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 46.9%, draws 3.0% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 19K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 46.0%, draws 4.1% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 34K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 45.1%, draws 4.6% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 16K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 44.9%, draws 3.3% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 583 Lichess games.
Is the French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation a good opening?
The French Defense: Hecht-Reefschläger Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.0% of its games and loses 50.1%. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.