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Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo

2.5M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.5%

45%60%
Floor52.5%

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

Measured over 2.5M games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 4.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 2.5M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
2.5M
Best context
55.7% at 2000-2199 Classical
Worst context
50.6% at 0-999 Blitz
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
95.8%
Draws
4.2%

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: 46.9% at 0-999, 53.7% 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, UltraBullet: 33.8% expected score (48 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (23,991 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (31,391 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (15,524 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 47.7% expected score (129 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 43.7% expected score (85 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (58,314 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.0% expected score (103,343 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.1% expected score (45,243 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 53.9% expected score (618 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 58.5% expected score (93 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (85,996 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (210,275 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (92,448 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 53.4% expected score (2,646 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 54.5% expected score (100 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (102,077 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (283,809 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (134,753 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 54.6% expected score (6,122 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 62.2% expected score (19 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (97,551 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (292,235 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (136,119 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 52.9% expected score (8,219 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (76,466 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (225,599 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (96,007 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 54.0% expected score (5,152 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (50,548 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (117,257 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.9% expected score (40,812 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 55.7% expected score (1,576 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (34,022 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (53,801 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.0% expected score (12,007 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 59.0% expected score (314 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (16,221 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 54.3% expected score (13,052 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (1,913 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 54.7% expected score (277 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Italian Game
55.0%
Variations (5)
Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver Defense
51.3%
Italian Game: Paris Defense
50.2%
Italian Game: Giuoco Piano
47.0%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening
50.6%
Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal
49.3%
Continuations (6)
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with h6
47.2%
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with d6
50.7%
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6
50.6%
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, Albin Variation
48.2%
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a5
48.6%
Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, Main Line
45.6%
Analyze Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo scores 52.5% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.5% and 52.6% — from 2.5M 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
2.5M+ 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 Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate?

Playing the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, White wins 50.4%, draws 4.2% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 2.5M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo perform best?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 53.6% (31K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.5% in Blitz (1.3M games) against 52.4% in Rapid (575K games).

How sharp is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo has a sharpness score of 95.8 (very decisive), meaning 95.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 49.4%, draws 2.9% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 71K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.0% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 208K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 51.0%, draws 3.2% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 391K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.4% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 527K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.5%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 534K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.4%, draws 4.2% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 403K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.4%, draws 4.9% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 210K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.9%, draws 6.1% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 100K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 37.0%, draws 33.0% and loses 29.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 51 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 49.6%, draws 1.3% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 354 Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.3% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 545K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.4%, draws 4.2% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 1.3M Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.0%, draws 4.8% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 575K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 50.5%, draws 6.6% and loses 42.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 25K Lichess games.

Is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo a good opening?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.4% of its games and loses 45.4%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.