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Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game

4.3M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.1%

45%60%
Floor52.1%

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

Measured over 4.3M 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 3.8 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 4.3M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
4.3M
Best context
57.7% at 1000-1199 Classical
Worst context
47.6% at 1200-1399 UltraBullet
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
96.2%
Draws
3.8%

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 gets better as the rating rises: 52.0% at 0-999, 56.1% 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: 47.0% expected score (476 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (97,211 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (251,082 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (189,812 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 54.3% expected score (1,782 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 48.4% expected score (976 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 51.5% expected score (141,379 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (317,055 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 55.3% expected score (170,728 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 57.7% expected score (5,170 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 47.6% expected score (1,929 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.9% expected score (182,846 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (405,297 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.9% expected score (179,728 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 57.1% expected score (8,379 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 49.1% expected score (2,265 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (196,219 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (443,295 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.2% expected score (184,618 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 55.3% expected score (12,352 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 55.0% expected score (1,447 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (181,906 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.6% expected score (379,904 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (141,642 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 55.3% expected score (7,111 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 55.8% expected score (1,092 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (150,423 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.5% expected score (239,696 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (73,824 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 55.5% expected score (2,578 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.9% expected score (440 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (93,396 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (94,660 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (19,740 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 53.2% expected score (397 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 59.7% expected score (158 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (51,241 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (26,685 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.4% expected score (3,333 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 52.6% expected score (56 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 55.4% expected score (45 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (11,649 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 55.2% expected score (2,137 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 61.9% expected score (83 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Petrov's Defense
49.1%
Variations (5)
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%
Petrov's Defense: Cozio Attack
48.6%
Analyze Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game scores 52.1% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.1% and 52.2% — from 4.3M 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
4.3M+ 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: Three Knights Game win rate?

Playing the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game, White wins 50.2%, draws 3.8% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 4.3M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game perform best?

The Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game performs best for White at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 53.3% (540K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 52.1% in Blitz (2.2M games) against 53.6% in Rapid (964K games).

How sharp is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game?

The Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game has a sharpness score of 96.2 (very decisive), meaning 96.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 51.2%, draws 4.1% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 540K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 51.6%, draws 3.4% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 635K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 50.6%, draws 3.3% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 778K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 49.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.7%. It rests on 839K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 49.6%, draws 3.9% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 712K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 49.2%, draws 4.4% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 468K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 48.6%, draws 4.9% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 209K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 48.2%, draws 5.8% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 81K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 48.7%, draws 7.4% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 50.2%, draws 1.3% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 8.8K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White 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 1.1M Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.0%, draws 4.1% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 2.2M Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 51.3%, draws 4.6% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 964K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 53.4%, draws 5.0% and loses 41.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.9%. It rests on 38K Lichess games.

Is the Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game a good opening?

The Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.2% of its games and loses 46.0%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.