Polish Opening: Czech Defense
840K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
48.5%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 48.6%.
Measured over 840K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 4.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 840K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 840K
- Best context
- 53.6% at 0-999 Rapid
- Worst context
- 42.5% at 2200-2499 Rapid
- Average game length
- 36 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 95.9%
- Draws
- 4.1%
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: 53.6% at 0-999, 43.1% at 2500+.
| Rating | UB | Bulle | Blitz | Rapid | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: 64.9% expected score (12 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 52.6% expected score (4,029 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (5,616 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 53.6% expected score (1,832 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 44.3% expected score (16 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.9% expected score (42 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 50.4% expected score (10,963 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.7% expected score (15,745 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (4,529 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 65.9% expected score (52 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 47.8% expected score (132 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (27,527 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (46,691 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (13,125 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 53.1% expected score (176 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 49.3% expected score (430 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (42,128 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.5% expected score (93,822 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (26,292 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.6% expected score (1,249 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 53.2% expected score (62 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (49,528 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (134,437 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.9% expected score (40,785 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.7% expected score (2,370 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 40.4% expected score (35 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (56,047 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.4% expected score (108,770 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.5% expected score (31,248 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 46.4% expected score (1,211 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 63.1% expected score (10 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.6% expected score (39,297 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 45.3% expected score (47,780 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 45.0% expected score (7,665 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 41.3% expected score (199 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 23.4% expected score (6 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.9% expected score (14,736 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.2% expected score (8,379 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.5% expected score (1,389 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 24.1% expected score (12 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.6% expected score (1,443 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 34.4% expected score (155 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 44.6% expected score (17 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Polish Opening: Czech Defense scores 48.5% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.4% and 48.6% — from 840K 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
- 840K+ 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 Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate?
Playing the Polish Opening: Czech Defense, Black wins 46.4%, draws 4.1% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 840K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Polish Opening: Czech Defense perform best?
The Polish Opening: Czech Defense performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 52.7% (12K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Polish Opening: Czech Defense scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 48.3% in Blitz (461K games) against 49.8% in Rapid (127K games).
How sharp is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense?
The Polish Opening: Czech Defense has a sharpness score of 95.9 (very decisive), meaning 95.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 51.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 49.3%, draws 2.7% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 48.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 88K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 47.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 164K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 46.4%, draws 4.1% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 227K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 45.3%, draws 4.6% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 197K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.7%, draws 5.0% and loses 51.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 95K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.3%, draws 5.4% and loses 51.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 25K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 40.0%, draws 5.3% and loses 54.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.7%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 49.5%, draws 0.2% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 729 Lichess games.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 46.8%, draws 2.7% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 246K Lichess games.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 46.0%, draws 4.5% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 461K Lichess games.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 47.2%, draws 5.1% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 127K Lichess games.
What is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 47.7%, draws 5.7% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 5.3K Lichess games.
Is the Polish Opening: Czech Defense a good opening?
The Polish Opening: Czech Defense is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.4% of its games and loses 49.5%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.