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Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation

18M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.9%

45%60%
Floor52.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 18M 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 4.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 18M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
18M
Best context
64.2% at 2000-2199 Classical
Worst context
45.7% at 0-999 Classical
Average game length
33 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 · 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: 48.8% at 0-999, 57.9% 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: 47.4% expected score (1,943 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.9% expected score (416,536 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (1,056,503 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (621,371 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 45.7% expected score (6,757 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 52.6% expected score (3,774 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (619,068 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (1,355,103 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (664,605 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 49.7% expected score (18,316 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 55.4% expected score (5,628 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.6% expected score (789,124 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (1,677,042 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (760,007 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.7% expected score (35,077 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 56.9% expected score (7,799 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (855,898 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (1,789,854 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.5% expected score (752,698 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 50.6% expected score (51,951 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 54.7% expected score (8,555 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (791,196 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (1,558,530 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.4% expected score (574,712 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 54.5% expected score (32,429 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 55.3% expected score (9,208 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.5% expected score (668,754 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.8% expected score (1,018,469 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (310,786 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 58.1% expected score (11,599 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.9% expected score (4,082 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (460,848 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 54.8% expected score (421,228 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 56.3% expected score (80,544 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 64.2% expected score (1,719 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 59.7% expected score (1,106 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 54.6% expected score (280,407 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 56.0% expected score (118,463 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 58.5% expected score (11,496 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 58.6% expected score (233 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 65.1% expected score (45 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.6% expected score (68,300 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.9% expected score (8,779 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 57.1% expected score (349 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 54.9% expected score (81 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Queen's Pawn Game
50.0%
Variations (5)
Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System
51.6%
Queen's Pawn Game: Modern Defense
49.2%
Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation
51.1%
Queen's Pawn Game: Colle System
50.8%
Queen's Pawn Game: London System
50.9%
Continuations (6)
Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation, Alburt Defense
49.6%
Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation, Irish Gambit
48.8%
Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation, Shaviliuk Gambit
50.0%
Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation, Anti-Veresov
49.9%
Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation, Fianchetto Defense
49.5%
Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation, Shropshire Defense
51.1%
Analyze Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation scores 52.9% for White — we are 90% confident it is 52.9% — from 18M 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
18M+ 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 Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate?

Playing the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation, White wins 50.8%, draws 4.1% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 18M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation perform best?

The Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation performs best for White at 2200-2499, with an Expected Score of 55.1% (412K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.9% in Blitz (9.0M games) against 52.4% in Rapid (3.8M games).

How sharp is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation?

The Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation has a sharpness score of 95.9 (very decisive), meaning 95.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 48.0%, draws 4.4% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 2.1M Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 50.7%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 2.7M Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 51.3%, draws 3.7% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 3.3M Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 51.0%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 3.5M Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 51.1%, draws 4.2% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.2%. It rests on 3.0M Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 51.5%, draws 4.5% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 2.0M Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 52.1%, draws 4.7% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 968K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 52.5%, draws 5.3% and loses 42.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.1%. It rests on 412K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 51.3%, draws 7.3% and loses 41.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.0%. It rests on 78K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 54.2%, draws 1.9% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.2%. It rests on 42K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 51.9%, draws 2.7% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 5.0M Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.7%, draws 4.4% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 9.0M Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 49.8%, draws 5.0% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 3.8M Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 49.0%, draws 5.5% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 158K Lichess games.

Is the Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation a good opening?

The Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.8% of its games and loses 45.1%. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.