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Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line

56K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

49.2%

45%55%
Floor48.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.6%.

Measured over 56K 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 5.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 56K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
56K
Best context
54.0% at 1200-1399 Bullet
Worst context
38.8% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
94.4%
Draws
5.6%

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: 47.2% at 0-999, 42.9% 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: 54.8% expected score (242 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (275 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 40.5% expected score (141 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (630 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 49.5% expected score (792 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 47.6% expected score (309 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 54.0% expected score (1,231 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (1,937 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 45.5% expected score (657 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 45.2% expected score (19 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.8% expected score (1,688 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (3,389 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.9% expected score (1,094 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 44.6% expected score (54 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (1,974 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.5% expected score (5,077 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (1,588 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 35.9% expected score (69 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (2,229 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (6,204 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.8% expected score (1,612 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 55.4% expected score (82 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (2,640 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (6,737 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (1,164 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 35.1% expected score (32 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (3,842 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.8% expected score (6,928 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 38.8% expected score (509 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 44.1% expected score (7 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 46.3% expected score (2,232 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 45.6% expected score (1,021 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 42.4% expected score (38 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Pirc Defense
49.1%
Variations (5)
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation
49.2%
Pirc Defense: Byrne Variation
52.8%
Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit
47.1%
Pirc Defense: Austrian Attack
51.7%
Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation
50.2%
Analyze Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line scores 49.2% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.9% and 49.6% — from 56K 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
56K+ 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 Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate?

Playing the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line, Black wins 46.4%, draws 5.6% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 56K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line perform best?

The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 51.1% (10K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 49.3% in Blitz (32K games) against 47.8% in Rapid (7.1K games).

How sharp is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line?

The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line has a sharpness score of 94.4 (decisive), meaning 94.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 46.3%, draws 3.7% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 658 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 48.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 48.7%, draws 4.0% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 3.8K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, 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 6.2K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 48.2%, draws 5.0% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 8.7K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 48.5%, draws 5.2% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 10K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.0%, draws 6.0% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.5%, draws 6.8% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 41.5%, draws 9.1% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 3.3K Lichess games, which average 45 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 47.7%, draws 4.0% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 17K Lichess games.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 46.2%, draws 6.2% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 32K Lichess games.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 44.3%, draws 6.9% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.8%. It rests on 7.1K Lichess games.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 40.1%, draws 8.7% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.5%. It rests on 269 Lichess games.

Is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line a good opening?

The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Chigorin Line is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.4% of its games and loses 48.0%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.