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Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line

357K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.2%

40%55%
Floor47.1%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 47.4%.

Measured over 357K 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 4.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 357K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
357K
Best context
49.6% at 1000-1199 Bullet
Worst context
42.2% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
33 moves
Games that end decisively
95.7%
Draws
4.3%

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: 48.9% at 0-999, 39.0% 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: 72.3% expected score (3 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (1,559 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.5% expected score (1,635 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 44.9% expected score (416 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 59.5% expected score (30 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (4,988 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.4% expected score (6,282 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 48.3% expected score (1,326 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 41.4% expected score (16 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 30.3% expected score (44 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (11,166 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (16,076 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 46.9% expected score (3,631 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 42.9% expected score (62 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 48.1% expected score (75 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (17,072 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (28,787 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (7,429 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.6% expected score (215 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 44.0% expected score (73 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.2% expected score (19,287 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.4% expected score (37,648 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (10,262 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 46.5% expected score (475 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 36.1% expected score (70 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.3% expected score (21,816 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (37,780 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 45.1% expected score (8,429 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 45.8% expected score (380 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 53.7% expected score (39 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (19,789 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (31,346 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 44.1% expected score (4,052 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 43.6% expected score (225 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 47.7% expected score (20 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (23,480 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 48.6% expected score (26,586 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 43.8% expected score (1,466 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 41.7% expected score (65 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 28.3% expected score (10 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (9,200 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.2% expected score (3,388 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 46.5% expected score (69 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 31.0% expected score (9 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Queen's Gambit Declined
50.9%
Variations (5)
Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall Defense
52.8%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation
52.8%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense
53.3%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Baltic Defense
52.3%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense
50.4%
Continuations (1)
Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line, Alekhine Variation
53.8%
Analyze Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line scores 47.2% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.1% and 47.4% — from 357K 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
357K+ 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 Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate?

Playing the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line, Black wins 45.0%, draws 4.3% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.2%. It rests on 357K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line perform best?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line performs best for Black at 1000-1199, with an Expected Score of 48.4% (13K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 47.4% in Blitz (190K games) against 45.6% in Rapid (37K games).

How sharp is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line has a sharpness score of 95.7 (very decisive), meaning 95.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 47.0%, draws 2.6% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 3.6K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.9%, draws 2.9% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.3%, draws 3.3% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 54K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.2%, draws 3.7% and loses 51.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 68K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 44.6%, draws 4.4% and loses 51.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 68K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 44.7%, draws 5.0% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.2%. It rests on 55K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.9%, draws 6.1% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 52K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 42.3%, draws 6.8% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.7%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 43.1%, draws 1.5% and loses 55.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.9%. It rests on 364 Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 45.8%, draws 3.3% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 128K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 44.9%, draws 4.9% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 190K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 43.1%, draws 5.1% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.6%. It rests on 37K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 41.7%, draws 6.8% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.1%. It rests on 1.4K Lichess games.

Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line a good opening?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense, Main Line is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 45.0% of its games and loses 50.6%. It performs best at 1000-1199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.