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Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6

171K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.3%

40%55%
Floor47.1%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 47.5%.

Measured over 171K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 4.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 171K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
171K
Best context
49.3% at 1000-1199 Rapid
Worst context
42.5% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
95.6%
Draws
4.4%

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 · Black score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 56.1% at 0-999, 46.8% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 43.6% expected score (919 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 47.6% expected score (918 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.9% expected score (288 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 45.2% expected score (2,716 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (4,029 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 49.3% expected score (1,154 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 37.9% expected score (15 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (4,630 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.4% expected score (11,187 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 48.5% expected score (3,258 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 52.0% expected score (75 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.4% expected score (5,604 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 46.6% expected score (18,396 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.2% expected score (6,897 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 49.1% expected score (214 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 44.7% expected score (4,921 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 46.5% expected score (18,801 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.8% expected score (8,821 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.5% expected score (485 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.2% expected score (4,457 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (16,551 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (7,253 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.2% expected score (471 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (4,414 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (13,727 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 47.8% expected score (4,029 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 40.8% expected score (214 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (5,219 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (13,294 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 47.8% expected score (2,218 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 40.4% expected score (61 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.6% expected score (2,552 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.5% expected score (2,551 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 43.7% expected score (221 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 53.5% expected score (13 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%
Analyze Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 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, with a6 scores 47.3% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.1% and 47.5% — from 171K 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
171K+ 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, with a6 win rate?

Playing the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6, Black wins 45.1%, draws 4.4% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 171K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 perform best?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 performs best for Black at 2200-2499, with an Expected Score of 48.1% (21K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 47.1% in Blitz (99K games) against 48.3% in Rapid (34K games).

How sharp is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 has a sharpness score of 95.6 (very decisive), meaning 95.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 45.2%, draws 2.4% and loses 52.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.4%, draws 2.3% and loses 51.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 7.9K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 45.8%, draws 3.1% and loses 51.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.3%, draws 3.1% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.0%, draws 3.8% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 33K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 45.1%, draws 4.2% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 29K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 45.4%, draws 5.0% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 45.0%, draws 6.1% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 37.6%, draws 14.8% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.0%. It rests on 5.3K Lichess games, which average 45 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 44.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 35K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 44.9%, draws 4.5% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 99K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 45.8%, draws 4.8% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 34K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 44.8%, draws 7.9% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games.

Is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 a good opening?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo, with a6 is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 45.1% of its games and loses 50.6%. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.