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Italian Game: Two Knights Defense

3.2M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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8.Be2
Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.1%

45%55%
Floor50.1%

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

Measured over 3.2M 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 Black

Draw 3.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 3.2M games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
3.2M
Best context
61.0% at 0-999 Classical
Worst context
43.1% at 1600-1799 UltraBullet
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.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

How to Beat This (Move 3)

Best: 3...Bc5 · Black wins: 48.7% · 2.4M games

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 10.1% · UltraBullet best · Classical worst

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: 54.1% at 0-999, 50.0% 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: 49.7% expected score (758 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (66,965 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (108,628 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 55.4% expected score (94,228 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 61.0% expected score (1,004 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 45.5% expected score (1,537 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (117,391 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (186,144 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (97,720 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 58.0% expected score (2,690 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 45.8% expected score (2,724 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.7% expected score (152,280 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (259,679 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.4% expected score (116,471 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 54.6% expected score (4,672 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 44.4% expected score (2,417 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (175,991 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.3% expected score (299,697 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (120,175 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 55.1% expected score (6,636 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 43.1% expected score (869 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (170,466 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (308,701 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (106,025 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.2% expected score (5,299 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 49.0% expected score (349 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.9% expected score (135,056 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (253,217 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.2% expected score (77,098 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 49.3% expected score (2,722 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 48.0% expected score (173 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (86,106 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.7% expected score (118,469 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.5% expected score (28,575 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 46.4% expected score (480 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 53.9% expected score (37 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (47,522 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (30,765 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (4,926 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 50.9% expected score (56 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (10,625 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 44.3% expected score (2,009 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 46.4% expected score (96 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 59.1% expected score (4 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 (10)
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening
50.6%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack, Normal Variation
52.8%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense, Bishop Check Line
47.2%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fried Liver Attack
67.3%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation
41.6%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Knight Attack
69.9%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line
49.6%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Open Variation
56.8%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Ponziani-Steinitz Gambit
44.0%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Perreux Variation
53.6%
Analyze Italian Game: Two Knights Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense scores 50.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.1% and 50.2% — from 3.2M 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
3.2M+ 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: Two Knights Defense win rate?

Playing the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Black wins 48.4%, draws 3.4% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 3.2M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense perform best?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 53.4% (272K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 50.0% in Blitz (1.6M games) against 51.6% in Rapid (645K games).

How sharp is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense 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: Two Knights Defense win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 51.6%, draws 3.6% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 272K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 48.7%, draws 2.9% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 405K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 48.3%, draws 2.9% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 536K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 48.1%, draws 3.0% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 605K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 47.6%, draws 3.3% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 591K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 48.2%, draws 3.9% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 468K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 48.5%, draws 4.6% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 234K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 47.9%, draws 5.5% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 83K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 45.1%, draws 8.4% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 45.1%, draws 1.0% and loses 53.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.6%. It rests on 8.9K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 48.3%, draws 2.4% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 962K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 48.1%, draws 3.7% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 1.6M Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 49.4%, draws 4.2% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 645K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 51.4%, draws 4.8% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 24K Lichess games.

Is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense a good opening?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 48.4% of its games and loses 48.2%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.