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Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation

819K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

57.1%

45%65%
Floor57.1%

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

Measured over 819K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for Black at this level and clock.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 2.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 819K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
819K
Best context
63.8% at 1200-1399 Classical
Worst context
43.2% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
27 moves
Games that end decisively
97.4%
Draws
2.6%

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

Gambit BreakpointBlack

Peak: +22.6% · Breakpoint: 2500+

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: 60.7% at 0-999, 47.6% 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: 75.7% expected score (18 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 60.2% expected score (12,178 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 60.1% expected score (18,635 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 57.4% expected score (9,339 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (42 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (52 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 60.1% expected score (27,696 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 62.5% expected score (50,706 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 63.1% expected score (24,015 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 55.6% expected score (288 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 63.3% expected score (85 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 58.3% expected score (34,423 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 60.6% expected score (79,859 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 63.2% expected score (42,187 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 63.8% expected score (871 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.8% expected score (67 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 56.9% expected score (39,098 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 57.3% expected score (86,886 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 60.2% expected score (49,472 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 62.5% expected score (2,058 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 36.2% expected score (31 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 55.8% expected score (34,759 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 54.3% expected score (76,165 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 56.1% expected score (39,154 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 56.3% expected score (2,270 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (12 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 54.1% expected score (26,455 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.2% expected score (58,186 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (25,794 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.2% expected score (1,212 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (17,753 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (29,945 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (8,789 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 52.4% expected score (208 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (9,442 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.8% expected score (7,659 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 43.2% expected score (1,421 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 53.6% expected score (27 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 45.9% expected score (1,468 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 36.7% expected score (425 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 60.3% expected score (18 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: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation scores 57.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 57.1% and 57.2% — from 819K 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
819K+ 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, Fritz Variation win rate?

Playing the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation, Black wins 55.8%, draws 2.6% and loses 41.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.1%. It rests on 819K rated games from Lichess.

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

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation performs best for Black at 1000-1199, with an Expected Score of 61.9% (103K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 56.7% in Blitz (408K games) against 58.7% in Rapid (200K games).

How sharp is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation has a sharpness score of 97.4 (very decisive), meaning 97.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 27 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 58.3%, draws 2.3% and loses 39.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.5%. It rests on 40K Lichess games, which average 22 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 60.9%, draws 2.0% and loses 37.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 61.9%. It rests on 103K Lichess games, which average 23 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 59.8%, draws 2.0% and loses 38.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.8%. It rests on 157K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 56.9%, draws 2.3% and loses 40.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.1%. It rests on 178K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 53.7%, draws 2.7% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.1%. It rests on 152K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 51.1%, draws 3.4% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 112K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 49.2%, draws 3.9% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 57K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 46.0%, draws 4.5% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 41.0%, draws 5.9% and loses 53.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.0%. It rests on 1.9K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

In UltraBullet, Black wins 54.0%, draws 0.2% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 270 Lichess games.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 55.7%, draws 1.7% and loses 42.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.5%. It rests on 203K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 55.2%, draws 2.9% and loses 41.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.7%. It rests on 408K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 57.2%, draws 3.1% and loses 39.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.7%. It rests on 200K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 56.5%, draws 3.7% and loses 39.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.4%. It rests on 7.0K Lichess games.

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

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Fritz Variation is good for Black. Across all ratings, Black wins 55.8% of its games and loses 41.6%. It performs best at 1000-1199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.