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Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Parma Defense

49K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.5%

40%55%
Floor47.1%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 47.9%.

Measured over 49K 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 5.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 49K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
49K
Best context
52.8% at 1000-1199 Bullet
Worst context
41.3% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
94.1%
Draws
5.9%

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: 54.1% at 0-999, 34.8% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 55.0% expected score (491 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 45.8% expected score (507 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 45.6% expected score (213 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.8% expected score (1,375 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (1,643 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 44.4% expected score (541 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.7% expected score (1,999 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 46.7% expected score (3,193 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 43.5% expected score (1,124 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (21 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (2,262 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.1% expected score (4,887 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 45.9% expected score (1,862 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.3% expected score (76 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 40.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (1,922 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (4,712 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (1,845 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.5% expected score (115 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (1,568 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (4,090 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.0% expected score (1,430 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 54.9% expected score (112 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 35.7% expected score (2 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.3% expected score (1,365 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (3,350 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 47.6% expected score (727 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (39 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (1,761 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (3,650 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.1% expected score (403 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 23.7% expected score (8 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.5% expected score (948 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 41.3% expected score (635 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 24.5% expected score (20 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 30.0% 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, Parma Defense 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, Parma Defense scores 47.5% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.1% and 47.9% — from 49K 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
49K+ 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, Parma Defense win rate?

Playing the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Parma Defense, Black wins 44.5%, draws 5.9% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 49K rated games from Lichess.

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

The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Parma Defense performs best for Black at 1000-1199, with an Expected Score of 48.8% (3.6K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Parma Defense scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 47.1% in Blitz (27K games) against 45.5% in Rapid (8.2K games).

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

The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Parma Defense has a sharpness score of 94.1 (decisive), meaning 94.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

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

At 0-999, Black wins 47.8%, draws 3.3% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.7%, draws 4.2% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 3.6K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 45.0%, draws 4.1% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 6.3K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.0%, draws 4.9% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 9.1K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 44.7%, draws 5.6% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 8.6K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 45.0%, draws 5.9% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 7.2K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.5%, draws 7.9% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 5.5K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.1%, draws 8.6% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 5.8K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 37.5%, draws 9.5% and loses 53.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.3%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games, which average 46 moves.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 47.1%, draws 4.4% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 14K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 43.9%, draws 6.5% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 27K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 42.2%, draws 6.6% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 8.2K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 44.3%, draws 9.4% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 377 Lichess games.

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

The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Quiet System, Parma Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.5% of its games and loses 49.6%. It performs best at 1000-1199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.