French Defense: Schlechter Variation
804K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
51.9%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.0%.
Measured over 804K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for White
Draw 4.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 804K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 804K
- Best context
- 57.2% at 2500+ Blitz
- Worst context
- 45.4% at 0-999 Bullet
- Average game length
- 35 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 95.4%
- Draws
- 4.6%
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: 40.4% at 0-999, 54.5% 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: 33.0% expected score (22 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 45.4% expected score (2,385 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (6,839 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 48.5% expected score (3,519 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 26.1% expected score (34 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 39.4% expected score (36 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.7% expected score (4,994 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (10,819 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (5,077 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 47.9% expected score (140 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 55.4% expected score (101 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (10,206 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (18,076 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (8,530 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 42.2% expected score (305 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 54.8% expected score (433 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (17,822 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (34,539 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.5% expected score (12,728 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 49.8% expected score (788 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (170 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (32,542 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (72,960 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.8% expected score (20,725 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.2% expected score (1,277 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 45.0% expected score (38 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (49,775 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (133,668 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 51.9% expected score (31,185 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.6% expected score (1,676 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.8% expected score (16 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.8% expected score (50,658 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (118,630 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (22,737 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 54.0% expected score (748 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 27.8% expected score (3 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.6% expected score (46,973 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.7% expected score (53,807 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.9% expected score (6,996 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 60.8% expected score (138 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.4% expected score (16,632 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.2% expected score (4,693 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 56.4% expected score (124 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: Schlechter Variation scores 51.9% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.8% and 52.0% — from 804K 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
- 804K+ 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: Schlechter Variation win rate?
Playing the French Defense: Schlechter Variation, White wins 49.6%, draws 4.6% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 804K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the French Defense: Schlechter Variation perform best?
The French Defense: Schlechter Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 55.0% (21K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the French Defense: Schlechter Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.1% in Blitz (454K games) against 52.0% in Rapid (112K games).
How sharp is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation?
The French Defense: Schlechter Variation has a sharpness score of 95.4 (very decisive), meaning 95.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, White wins 46.1%, draws 3.8% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, White wins 48.5%, draws 3.1% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, White wins 49.1%, draws 2.8% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 37K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, White wins 49.2%, draws 3.0% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 66K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, White wins 49.3%, draws 3.6% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 128K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 49.5%, draws 4.4% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.7%. It rests on 216K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 49.8%, draws 5.3% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 193K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 50.5%, draws 6.5% and loses 43.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 108K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 51.3%, draws 7.4% and loses 41.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.0%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, White wins 51.5%, draws 1.0% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 819 Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 49.9%, draws 3.3% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 232K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 49.6%, draws 5.1% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 454K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 49.2%, draws 5.5% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 112K Lichess games.
What is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation win rate in Classical?
In Classical, White wins 47.8%, draws 7.2% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 5.1K Lichess games.
Is the French Defense: Schlechter Variation a good opening?
The French Defense: Schlechter Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 49.6% of its games and loses 45.8%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.