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Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation

9.7K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.6%

45%60%
Floor51.7%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 53.4%.

Measured over 9.7K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 3.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 9.7K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
9.7K
Best context
55.8% at 2200-2499 Bullet
Worst context
51.4% at 1600-1799 Blitz
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
96.6%
Draws
3.4%

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 · 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: 34.9% at 0-999, 59.1% 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: 41.8% expected score (29 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 40.3% expected score (50 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 36.0% expected score (59 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (72 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 42.9% expected score (83 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 41.4% expected score (74 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (151 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 45.6% expected score (214 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (104 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.6% expected score (428 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (382 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (192 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.3% expected score (29 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (265 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.4% expected score (848 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.0% expected score (243 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (20 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (462 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (1,318 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 45.1% expected score (315 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 72.3% expected score (12 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 55.6% expected score (533 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 54.0% expected score (1,054 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 55.7% expected score (220 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (14 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 55.8% expected score (584 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.3% expected score (1,414 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (71 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 35.7% expected score (2 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 64.0% expected score (300 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 68.6% expected score (152 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 44.7% expected score (8 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 Piano, Cracow Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation scores 52.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.7% and 53.4% — from 9.7K 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
9.7K+ 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 Piano, Cracow Variation win rate?

Playing the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.4% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 9.7K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation perform best?

The Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 65.2% (460 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 53.0% in Blitz (5.5K games) against 47.5% in Rapid (1.3K games).

How sharp is the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation?

The Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation has a sharpness score of 96.6 (very decisive), meaning 96.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 36.4%, draws 3.2% and loses 60.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 38.0%. It rests on 140 Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 43.8%, draws 2.4% and loses 53.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.0%. It rests on 230 Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 44.8%, draws 2.4% and loses 52.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 475 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 49.5%, draws 2.4% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 1.0K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 48.9%, draws 2.4% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 1.4K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 49.2%, draws 3.7% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 52.6%, draws 4.0% and loses 43.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 1.8K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 53.2%, draws 4.3% and loses 42.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 63.8%, draws 2.7% and loses 33.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 65.2%. It rests on 460 Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.9%, draws 2.4% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 2.8K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 51.1%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 5.5K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 45.7%, draws 3.6% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 1.3K Lichess games.

Is the Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation a good opening?

The Italian Game: Giuoco Piano, Cracow Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 50.9% 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.