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Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation

484K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.6%

45%60%
Floor52.5%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.7%.

Measured over 484K 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 4.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 484K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
484K
Best context
58.9% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
44.7% at 0-999 Bullet
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
95.3%
Draws
4.7%

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: 46.2% at 0-999, 62.1% 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: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 44.7% expected score (1,652 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (2,758 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.8% expected score (874 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 55.9% expected score (7 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (4,325 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 51.5% expected score (9,001 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (3,531 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 44.0% expected score (48 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 23.9% expected score (10 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (7,443 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (19,126 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.3% expected score (9,239 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 48.2% expected score (249 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 60.3% expected score (18 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.5% expected score (10,781 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (34,778 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (17,543 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 56.5% expected score (1,032 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 83.4% expected score (9 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (13,764 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.6% expected score (49,671 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (25,076 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 54.1% expected score (1,477 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 43.6% expected score (14 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.8% expected score (18,247 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (59,539 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (22,861 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 49.2% expected score (1,160 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.9% expected score (13 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (21,863 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (55,141 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 53.3% expected score (10,931 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 58.0% expected score (317 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 55.5% expected score (17 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.6% expected score (32,014 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (31,821 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 56.9% expected score (3,207 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 63.5% expected score (58 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (12,173 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 58.9% expected score (2,493 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 66.8% expected score (82 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 59.1% expected score (4 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: Kholmov System
49.7%
Analyze Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation scores 52.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.5% and 52.7% — from 484K 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
484K+ 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, Schlechter Variation win rate?

Playing the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation, White wins 50.2%, draws 4.7% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 484K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation perform best?

The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 56.3% (15K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.5% in Blitz (264K games) against 53.1% in Rapid (93K games).

How sharp is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation?

The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation has a sharpness score of 95.3 (very decisive), meaning 95.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 46.6%, draws 3.3% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 5.3K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 49.6%, draws 3.2% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 17K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 50.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 36K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 64K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 49.5%, draws 4.3% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.7%. It rests on 90K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 49.7%, draws 4.9% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 102K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 49.9%, draws 5.3% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 88K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 51.5%, draws 5.8% and loses 42.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 67K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 52.8%, draws 6.9% and loses 40.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.3%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 50.5%, draws 3.5% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 122K Lichess games.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.0%, draws 5.0% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 264K Lichess games.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.4%, draws 5.4% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 93K Lichess games.

What is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 50.3%, draws 6.1% and loses 43.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 4.4K Lichess games.

Is the Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation a good opening?

The Pirc Defense: Classical Variation, Schlechter Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.2% of its games and loses 45.1%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.