Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation

89K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
d
c
b
a
3...d5
Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

46.0%

40%55%
Floor45.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 46.3%.

Measured over 89K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 4.0 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 89K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
89K
Best context
49.5% at 2000-2199 Bullet
Worst context
39.3% at 1000-1199 Rapid
Average game length
30 moves
Games that end decisively
96.0%
Draws
4.0%

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.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Traps & Chaos

Complexity: 92.3 · Trap factor: +3.5 · 89K games

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 13.0% · Classical best · UltraBullet 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 holds about the same all the way up, near 41.9%.

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: 46.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 42.2% expected score (2,712 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 43.3% expected score (6,653 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 43.9% expected score (6,098 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 34.3% expected score (75 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 34.2% expected score (27 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (2,638 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 44.0% expected score (3,942 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 39.3% expected score (3,100 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 35.0% expected score (151 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 49.2% expected score (62 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (3,296 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 45.7% expected score (3,950 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 40.6% expected score (2,096 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 30.9% expected score (116 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 53.2% expected score (218 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.1% expected score (4,535 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 46.3% expected score (4,741 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 45.3% expected score (1,827 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 34.2% expected score (157 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 52.0% expected score (153 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (5,588 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (5,440 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 44.6% expected score (1,480 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 33.8% expected score (82 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 51.9% expected score (154 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (6,763 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (5,224 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (1,371 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 48.7% expected score (73 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 46.3% expected score (186 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (5,657 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (3,520 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (924 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 42.4% expected score (18 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 47.6% expected score (60 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (3,533 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (1,437 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 46.5% expected score (226 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 53.7% expected score (12 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (688 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 45.1% expected score (191 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 42.3% expected score (5 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 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%
Analyze Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation scores 46.0% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 45.8% and 46.3% — from 89K 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
89K+ 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: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate?

Playing the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation, Black wins 44.0%, draws 4.0% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 89K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation perform best?

The Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 48.5% (10K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 45.9% in Blitz (35K games) against 43.1% in Rapid (17K games).

How sharp is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation?

The Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation has a sharpness score of 96.0 (very decisive), meaning 96.0% of games end decisively. Average game length is 30 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 40.6%, draws 5.3% and loses 54.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.3%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 40.9%, draws 3.9% and loses 55.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.9%. It rests on 9.9K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 43.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 53.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.7%. It rests on 9.5K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.4%, draws 2.8% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 46.0%, draws 3.4% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 45.9%, draws 3.7% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.8%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.2%, draws 4.5% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 10K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.1%, draws 6.1% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.2%. It rests on 5.3K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 43.4%, draws 7.7% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 897 Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 48.9%, draws 2.1% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 883 Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 46.1%, draws 3.0% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 35K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 43.6%, draws 4.6% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.9%. It rests on 35K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 40.5%, draws 5.2% and loses 54.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.1%. It rests on 17K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 32.5%, draws 5.6% and loses 62.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 35.3%. It rests on 674 Lichess games.

Is the Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation a good opening?

The Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack, Symmetrical Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.0% of its games and loses 52.0%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.