Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

Pirc Defense: Kholmov System

399K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
4.Bc4
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.7%

45%55%
Floor51.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.9%.

Measured over 399K 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 White

Draw 3.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 399K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
399K
Best context
60.0% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Worst context
45.7% at 0-999 Bullet
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
96.1%
Draws
3.9%

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 · 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: 45.1% at 0-999, 62.7% 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: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 45.7% expected score (2,706 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (7,245 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (3,809 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 54.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 15.2% expected score (10 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (5,727 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (16,636 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (8,444 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 45.5% expected score (109 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 37.1% expected score (14 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (8,318 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (25,811 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 50.8% expected score (15,948 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 51.0% expected score (414 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 55.1% expected score (18 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (10,967 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (32,317 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (20,073 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.3% expected score (1,143 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (17 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (13,246 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (36,056 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.1% expected score (19,273 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 48.8% expected score (1,203 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 68.0% expected score (18 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (16,037 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (42,951 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.5% expected score (14,439 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.2% expected score (894 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (16,443 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (37,683 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (7,202 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 56.4% expected score (226 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (14,713 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 56.7% expected score (13,733 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 60.0% expected score (1,929 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (30 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 58.6% expected score (2,794 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 60.8% expected score (460 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 68.6% expected score (12 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: Kholmov System PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System scores 51.7% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.6% and 51.9% — from 399K 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
399K+ 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: Kholmov System win rate?

Playing the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System, White wins 49.7%, draws 3.9% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.7%. It rests on 399K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System perform best?

The Pirc Defense: Kholmov System performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 58.9% (3.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 51.9% in Blitz (213K games) against 51.8% in Rapid (91K games).

How sharp is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System?

The Pirc Defense: Kholmov System has a sharpness score of 96.1 (very decisive), meaning 96.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 46.7%, draws 3.6% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 48.2%, draws 3.4% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 49.0%, draws 3.3% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 51K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 49.1%, draws 3.6% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 65K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 49.3%, draws 3.7% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 70K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 49.7%, draws 4.2% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 74K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.5%, draws 4.4% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 62K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 53.7%, draws 4.7% and loses 41.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.0%. It rests on 30K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 56.4%, draws 4.9% and loses 38.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.9%. It rests on 3.3K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 49.8%, draws 2.7% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 91K Lichess games.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 49.8%, draws 4.1% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 213K Lichess games.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 49.5%, draws 4.6% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 91K Lichess games.

What is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 48.5%, draws 5.7% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 4.0K Lichess games.

Is the Pirc Defense: Kholmov System a good opening?

The Pirc Defense: Kholmov System is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 49.7% of its games and loses 46.4%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.