Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky)

42K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
d
c
b
a
7...Bf5
Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.1%

45%55%
Floor50.7%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.5%.

Measured over 42K 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 6.0 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 42K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
42K
Best context
55.2% at 2000-2199 Rapid
Worst context
44.9% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
40 moves
Games that end decisively
94.0%
Draws
6.0%

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: 50.1% at 0-999, 44.7% 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: 63.6% expected score (17 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 43.2% expected score (35 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 43.6% expected score (14 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (82 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (95 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 45.5% expected score (43 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 43.1% expected score (185 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (246 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.2% expected score (84 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (276 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (563 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (170 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 40.9% expected score (15 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (491 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (857 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 42.9% expected score (295 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 54.3% expected score (22 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (1,054 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.4% expected score (1,980 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (464 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 47.3% expected score (35 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (2,689 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (5,379 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 55.2% expected score (524 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 27.2% expected score (16 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (7,813 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (9,686 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 53.3% expected score (415 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 61.8% expected score (7 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (6,313 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 44.9% expected score (1,618 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 36.6% expected score (32 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 games)

Related Openings

Parent
King's Indian Defense
48.1%
Variations (5)
King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation
48.9%
King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, Rare Defenses
47.5%
King's Indian Defense: Normal Variation, King's Knight Variation
48.1%
King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation
49.9%
King's Indian Defense: Smyslov Variation
48.7%
Analyze King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) scores 51.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.7% and 51.5% — from 42K 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
42K+ 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 King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate?

Playing the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky), Black wins 48.1%, draws 6.0% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 42K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) perform best?

The King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 54.0% (8.6K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.0% in Blitz (20K games) against 51.1% in Rapid (2.0K games).

How sharp is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky)?

The King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) has a sharpness score of 94.0 (decisive), meaning 94.0% of games end decisively. Average game length is 40 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 47.0%, draws 1.6% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.8%. It rests on 223 Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.1%, draws 2.4% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 516 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 49.0%, draws 2.6% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 1.0K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 46.2%, draws 3.8% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 50.0%, draws 5.0% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 3.5K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 51.0%, draws 5.9% and loses 43.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 8.6K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 48.6%, draws 6.4% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 43.3%, draws 7.0% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 8.0K Lichess games, which average 44 moves.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 47.8%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 19K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 48.4%, draws 7.2% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 20K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 47.7%, draws 6.8% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games.

What is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 42.9%, draws 3.4% and loses 53.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.6%. It rests on 100 Lichess games.

Is the King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) a good opening?

The King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Lesser Simagin (Spassky) is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 48.1% of its games and loses 45.9%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.