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Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation

4.4M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.8%

45%60%
Floor52.7%

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

Measured over 4.4M 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 4.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 4.4M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
4.4M
Best context
54.7% at 1000-1199 UltraBullet
Worst context
50.2% at 0-999 Classical
Average game length
33 moves
Games that end decisively
95.7%
Draws
4.3%

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: 49.7% at 0-999, 54.0% 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: 44.5% expected score (400 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (77,380 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (129,448 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (151,988 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.2% expected score (1,323 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 54.7% expected score (828 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.5% expected score (153,930 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (242,046 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (187,297 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 53.2% expected score (4,654 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 53.4% expected score (802 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (213,906 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (394,181 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.9% expected score (224,998 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 52.9% expected score (9,509 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 53.6% expected score (631 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (235,737 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (480,561 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (235,430 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.1% expected score (13,523 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 48.9% expected score (168 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (210,384 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (433,569 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.9% expected score (182,929 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 52.9% expected score (10,292 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 35.8% expected score (44 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (152,191 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (281,599 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (103,688 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 52.7% expected score (4,444 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 52.8% expected score (34 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (83,566 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (104,443 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.9% expected score (28,291 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 54.7% expected score (691 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 11.5% expected score (5 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (39,908 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.5% expected score (26,910 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.2% expected score (5,400 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 55.8% expected score (138 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.0% expected score (9,609 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 54.7% expected score (3,097 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (201 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 54.7% expected score (20 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: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation scores 52.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.7% and 52.8% — from 4.4M 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
4.4M+ 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: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation win rate?

Playing the Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation, White wins 50.6%, draws 4.3% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 4.4M rated games from Lichess.

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

The Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 54.2% (13K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For White, the Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.8% in Blitz (2.1M games) against 52.6% in Rapid (1.1M games).

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

The Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation has a sharpness score of 95.7 (very decisive), meaning 95.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 49.0%, draws 4.4% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 361K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 589K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 51.2%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 843K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.9% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 966K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.7%, draws 4.4% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 837K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.3%, draws 5.0% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 542K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 49.7%, draws 5.4% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 217K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 50.0%, draws 6.2% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 72K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2500+, White wins 48.6%, draws 11.1% and loses 40.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.2%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

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

In UltraBullet, White wins 51.4%, draws 1.2% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 2.9K Lichess games.

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

In Bullet, White wins 51.5%, draws 2.9% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 1.2M Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, White wins 50.5%, draws 4.4% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 2.1M Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, White wins 49.9%, draws 5.3% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 1.1M Lichess games.

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

In Classical, White wins 49.9%, draws 6.0% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 45K Lichess games.

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

The Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.6% of its games and loses 45.1%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.