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Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3

239K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

49.1%

45%55%
Floor48.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.3%.

Measured over 239K 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 4.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 239K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
239K
Best context
51.5% at 0-999 Bullet
Worst context
38.6% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
95.6%
Draws
4.4%

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 · 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: 46.1% at 0-999, 38.4% 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: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.5% expected score (762 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (1,117 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 48.0% expected score (217 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 54.8% expected score (9 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (2,243 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (3,217 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (847 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 54.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 51.6% expected score (31 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (4,604 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.6% expected score (6,692 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.8% expected score (1,924 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 41.2% expected score (67 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 52.4% expected score (168 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (7,395 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (13,238 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.3% expected score (4,387 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 47.1% expected score (190 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 52.7% expected score (351 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (12,841 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (18,378 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (5,902 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 49.1% expected score (376 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 45.5% expected score (229 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (16,444 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (27,665 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (6,281 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 45.1% expected score (360 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 61.0% expected score (99 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (19,247 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.5% expected score (29,402 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (3,833 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 31.0% expected score (159 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 59.4% expected score (84 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (25,646 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 44.6% expected score (15,059 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 41.8% expected score (1,430 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 33.0% expected score (22 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 44.7% expected score (7,428 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 38.6% expected score (724 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 39.6% expected score (56 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Old Indian Defense
49.1%
Variations (5)
Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nc3
48.7%
Old Indian Defense: Ukrainian Variation
45.5%
Old Indian Defense: Two Knights Variation
52.1%
Old Indian Defense: Normal Variation
47.9%
Old Indian Defense: Janowski Variation
50.0%
Analyze Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 scores 49.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.9% and 49.3% — from 239K 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
239K+ 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 Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate?

Playing the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3, Black wins 46.9%, draws 4.4% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 239K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 perform best?

The Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 performs best for Black at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 50.3% (38K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 48.9% in Blitz (115K games) against 47.9% in Rapid (25K games).

How sharp is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3?

The Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 has a sharpness score of 95.6 (very decisive), meaning 95.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 49.6%, draws 2.6% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.9%, draws 2.6% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 6.3K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 47.1%, draws 2.8% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 48.0%, draws 3.4% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 25K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 48.4%, draws 3.7% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 38K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.8%, draws 4.5% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 51K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 47.3%, draws 4.9% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 53K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.2%, draws 5.2% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 42K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 40.6%, draws 7.1% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.2%. It rests on 8.2K Lichess games, which average 44 moves.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 50.9%, draws 2.6% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 973 Lichess games.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 47.9%, draws 3.4% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 97K Lichess games.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 46.4%, draws 5.0% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 115K Lichess games.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 45.1%, draws 5.5% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 25K Lichess games.

What is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 40.5%, draws 7.7% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.4%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games.

Is the Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 a good opening?

The Old Indian Defense: Czech Variation, with Nf3 is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.9% of its games and loses 48.7%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.