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French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation

5.1M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.2%

45%55%
Floor50.2%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 5.1M 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 3.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 5.1M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
5.1M
Best context
58.6% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
30.4% at 0-999 UltraBullet
Average game length
34 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 gets better as the rating rises: 41.7% at 0-999, 56.0% 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, UltraBullet: 30.4% expected score (663 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (33,858 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (48,079 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (17,624 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 35.4% expected score (197 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 38.6% expected score (1,151 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (83,871 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (98,949 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (24,073 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 43.7% expected score (585 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 44.5% expected score (2,906 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (186,737 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (223,286 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (42,210 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 48.4% expected score (1,415 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 43.3% expected score (4,113 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (313,919 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (495,689 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (88,066 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 46.8% expected score (3,029 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 48.3% expected score (3,575 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (441,293 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (819,666 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.1% expected score (152,809 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 49.8% expected score (6,092 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 47.8% expected score (630 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (435,721 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (743,520 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.1% expected score (163,466 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (3,908 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 53.0% expected score (117 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (235,709 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (245,734 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 50.6% expected score (47,344 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 50.2% expected score (516 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 55.7% expected score (51 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.8% expected score (74,802 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.6% expected score (31,833 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (3,029 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 60.7% expected score (36 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (7,006 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 58.6% expected score (1,161 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (21 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%
Continuations (1)
French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation, Reuter Gambit
47.3%
Analyze French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation scores 50.2% for White — we are 90% confident it is 50.2% — from 5.1M 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
5.1M+ 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: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate?

Playing the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation, White wins 48.6%, draws 3.2% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 5.1M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation perform best?

The French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 55.3% (8.2K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 50.5% in Blitz (2.7M games) against 49.9% in Rapid (539K games).

How sharp is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation?

The French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation has a sharpness score of 96.8 (very decisive), meaning 96.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 46.1%, draws 3.2% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 100K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 48.2%, draws 2.4% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 209K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 48.5%, draws 2.2% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 457K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 48.6%, draws 2.6% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 905K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 48.7%, draws 3.1% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 1.4M Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 48.5%, draws 3.7% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 1.3M Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 48.8%, draws 4.0% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 529K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 50.0%, draws 4.6% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 110K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 52.3%, draws 6.1% and loses 41.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.3%. It rests on 8.2K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 43.8%, draws 0.8% and loses 55.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.2%. It rests on 13K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 48.9%, draws 2.2% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 1.8M Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.6%, draws 3.6% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 2.7M Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 47.7%, 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 539K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 46.4%, draws 4.8% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 16K Lichess games.

Is the French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation a good opening?

The French Defense: La Bourdonnais Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.6% of its games and loses 48.2%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.