French Defense: Henneberger Variation
51K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
54.4%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.7%.
Measured over 51K games at this level and clock.
A strong choice for White at this level and clock.
Outcomes for White
Draw 3.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 51K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 51K
- Best context
- 56.3% at 1200-1399 Bullet
- Worst context
- 46.8% at 2500+ Bullet
- Average game length
- 30 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 96.8%
- Draws
- 3.2%
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 falls away as the rating rises: 51.4% at 0-999, 47.1% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (152 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (406 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 48.9% expected score (177 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (502 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.2% expected score (818 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (228 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 56.3% expected score (1,318 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.5% expected score (1,723 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (450 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 63.8% expected score (13 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 53.6% expected score (40 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 53.6% expected score (2,161 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.6% expected score (3,549 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.8% expected score (1,014 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 54.9% expected score (19 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 49.3% expected score (132 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 56.1% expected score (3,009 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 56.2% expected score (5,780 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.5% expected score (1,741 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 48.7% expected score (73 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 53.0% expected score (48 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 56.0% expected score (3,731 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 55.5% expected score (7,745 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (1,930 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 48.9% expected score (42 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 73.8% expected score (9 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 54.6% expected score (3,293 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 54.4% expected score (4,632 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 55.4% expected score (648 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 43.3% expected score (6 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (2,878 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (879 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 53.8% expected score (90 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 46.8% expected score (1,316 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (18 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: Henneberger Variation scores 54.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 54.0% and 54.7% — from 51K 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
- 51K+ 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: Henneberger Variation win rate?
Playing the French Defense: Henneberger Variation, White wins 52.7%, draws 3.2% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 51K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the French Defense: Henneberger Variation perform best?
The French Defense: Henneberger Variation performs best for White at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 55.4% (11K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the French Defense: Henneberger Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 54.9% in Blitz (26K games) against 52.7% in Rapid (6.3K games).
How sharp is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation?
The French Defense: Henneberger Variation has a sharpness score of 96.8 (very decisive), meaning 96.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 30 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, White wins 47.3%, draws 3.7% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 739 Lichess games, which average 26 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, White wins 51.3%, draws 2.3% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, White wins 53.2%, draws 2.5% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 3.5K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, White wins 52.5%, draws 2.4% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 6.8K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, White wins 54.0%, draws 2.8% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 53.8%, draws 3.1% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.3%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 52.5%, draws 4.1% and loses 43.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 8.6K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 50.7%, draws 4.8% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 3.9K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 43.3%, draws 7.0% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 1.3K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, White wins 49.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.7%. It rests on 242 Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 52.9%, draws 2.8% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 18K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 53.1%, draws 3.4% and loses 43.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.9%. It rests on 26K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 50.8%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 6.3K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation win rate in Classical?
In Classical, White wins 47.7%, draws 5.8% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 161 Lichess games.
Is the French Defense: Henneberger Variation a good opening?
The French Defense: Henneberger Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 52.7% of its games and loses 44.0%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.