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Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack

157K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

53.4%

45%60%
Floor53.2%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 53.7%.

Measured over 157K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 6.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 157K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
157K
Best context
61.5% at 1200-1399 Rapid
Worst context
48.6% at 0-999 Bullet
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
93.6%
Draws
6.4%

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 holds about the same all the way up, near 56.1%.

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: 48.6% expected score (646 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 54.9% expected score (835 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 59.8% expected score (532 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 61.1% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (1,683 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 56.3% expected score (1,835 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 60.0% expected score (913 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 77.6% expected score (13 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (3,474 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 55.4% expected score (4,605 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 61.5% expected score (1,329 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 60.1% expected score (43 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (6,703 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.0% expected score (10,731 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 59.6% expected score (3,101 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 61.8% expected score (189 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 88.5% expected score (5 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (8,264 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.0% expected score (21,432 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 56.8% expected score (5,292 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 58.2% expected score (410 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (7,706 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (25,534 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.4% expected score (7,808 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 60.2% expected score (536 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (6,924 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (15,564 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (5,622 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 56.3% expected score (150 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (4,247 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.5% expected score (5,564 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 58.1% expected score (1,293 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 57.7% expected score (51 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (2,356 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 55.9% expected score (1,139 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (340 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 57.0% expected score (70 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Petrov's Defense
49.1%
Variations (5)
Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game
50.2%
Petrov's Defense: Italian Variation
50.9%
Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit
46.5%
Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack
51.5%
Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation
58.6%
Continuations (10)
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Marshall Variation
47.1%
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Staunton Variation
45.4%
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Closed Variation
51.8%
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Mason Variation
51.0%
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Mason-Showalter Variation
46.0%
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation
45.3%
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Jaenisch Variation
47.1%
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Main Line
38.0%
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack
46.5%
Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, Berger Variation
41.7%
Analyze Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack scores 53.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.2% and 53.7% — from 157K 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
157K+ 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 Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate?

Playing the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack, White wins 50.2%, draws 6.4% and loses 43.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 157K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack perform best?

The Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack performs best for White at 1000-1199, with an Expected Score of 56.0% (4.4K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 53.0% in Blitz (87K games) against 56.3% in Rapid (26K games).

How sharp is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack?

The Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack has a sharpness score of 93.6 (decisive), meaning 93.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 52.5%, draws 3.4% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.2%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 54.9%, draws 2.3% and loses 42.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.0%. It rests on 4.4K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 54.0%, draws 2.8% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 9.5K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.6%, draws 3.8% and loses 43.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.5%, draws 4.7% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 35K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 49.9%, draws 5.8% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 42K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 49.3%, draws 7.2% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 28K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 50.0%, draws 8.2% and loses 41.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 30.4%, draws 46.1% and loses 23.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 3.9K Lichess games, which average 55 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 49.4%, draws 6.2% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 42K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 49.9%, draws 6.1% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 87K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 52.5%, draws 7.5% and loses 40.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.3%. It rests on 26K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 53.9%, draws 11.0% and loses 35.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.4%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games.

Is the Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack a good opening?

The Petrov's Defense: Classical Attack is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.2% of its games and loses 43.4%. It performs best at 1000-1199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.