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French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation

458K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.5%

45%55%
Floor51.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.7%.

Measured over 458K 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 7.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 458K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
458K
Best context
56.7% at 2500+ Rapid
Worst context
47.4% at 1200-1399 Blitz
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
92.9%
Draws
7.1%

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: 44.5% at 0-999, 59.7% 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: 43.6% expected score (61 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 42.8% expected score (40 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 47.0% expected score (15 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (404 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (180 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 57.6% expected score (58 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (1,594 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.4% expected score (1,130 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.1% expected score (216 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 55.3% expected score (8 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.4% expected score (4,668 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (5,357 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 55.4% expected score (902 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 60.1% expected score (68 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 44.2% expected score (7 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (12,123 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (21,569 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.5% expected score (3,100 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 52.5% expected score (303 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 36.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (22,773 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (58,896 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.8% expected score (9,631 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.9% expected score (711 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 53.5% expected score (13 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.4% expected score (34,688 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (78,744 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (13,640 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 56.5% expected score (605 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 60.6% expected score (8 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (47,023 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (78,046 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.1% expected score (7,724 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 59.7% expected score (196 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.1% expected score (33,905 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.0% expected score (16,469 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 56.7% expected score (2,491 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 61.7% expected score (468 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: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation scores 51.5% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.4% and 51.7% — from 458K 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
458K+ 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: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate?

Playing the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation, White wins 48.0%, draws 7.1% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 458K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation perform best?

The French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 54.9% (53K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 51.6% in Blitz (260K games) against 52.8% in Rapid (38K games).

How sharp is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation?

The French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation has a sharpness score of 92.9 (decisive), meaning 92.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 43.0%, draws 1.3% and loses 55.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.7%. It rests on 116 Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 46.9%, draws 1.6% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 646 Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 47.6%, draws 2.4% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 2.9K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 49.2%, draws 2.6% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 48.5%, draws 3.4% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 37K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 48.3%, draws 4.2% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 92K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 48.4%, draws 5.1% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 128K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 48.8%, draws 6.3% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 133K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 43.7%, draws 22.4% and loses 33.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.9%. It rests on 53K Lichess games, which average 48 moves.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 47.7%, draws 6.8% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 157K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.2%, draws 6.7% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 260K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 47.7%, draws 10.0% and loses 42.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 38K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, White wins 45.7%, draws 20.0% and loses 34.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.7%. It rests on 2.4K Lichess games.

Is the French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation a good opening?

The French Defense: Steinitz Variation, Boleslavsky Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.0% of its games and loses 45.0%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.