Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack
20K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
50.0%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 50.6%.
Measured over 20K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for White
Draw 3.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 20K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 20K
- Best context
- 53.6% at 1600-1799 Bullet
- Worst context
- 47.0% at 0-999 Bullet
- Average game length
- 33 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 holds about the same all the way up, near 48.9%.
| 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: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (612 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (1,338 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 47.3% expected score (676 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 44.2% expected score (7 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 35.2% expected score (12 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 46.4% expected score (428 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (1,210 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (591 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 69.1% expected score (9 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 34.2% expected score (27 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (698 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (1,465 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.3% expected score (630 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 52.5% expected score (39 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 30.6% expected score (32 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (987 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (1,499 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (512 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 33.5% expected score (47 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 47.3% expected score (17 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.6% expected score (1,014 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.4% expected score (1,453 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.5% expected score (308 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (24 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 66.3% expected score (17 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (850 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (1,716 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 46.6% expected score (248 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 45.3% expected score (9 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 68.4% expected score (23 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.0% expected score (516 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (1,057 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.4% expected score (146 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 54.5% expected score (43 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (617 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.2% expected score (422 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 39.9% expected score (78 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 57.2% expected score (188 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.6% expected score (39 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack scores 50.0% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.5% and 50.6% — from 20K 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
- 20K+ 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 Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate?
Playing the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack, White wins 48.0%, draws 3.9% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 20K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack perform best?
The Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack performs best for White at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 52.1% (2.8K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 50.8% in Blitz (10K games) against 48.3% in Rapid (3.2K games).
How sharp is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack?
The Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack has a sharpness score of 96.1 (very decisive), meaning 96.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, White wins 44.8%, draws 6.0% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.8%. It rests on 2.6K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, White wins 47.2%, draws 4.2% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 2.3K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, White wins 48.1%, 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 2.9K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, White wins 47.2%, draws 3.4% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 3.1K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, White wins 50.6%, draws 2.9% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 2.8K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 49.1%, draws 3.5% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 2.8K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 47.8%, draws 3.8% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 50.0%, draws 4.5% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 50.8%, draws 7.1% and loses 42.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 230 Lichess games, which average 41 moves.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, White wins 46.0%, draws 3.1% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 178 Lichess games.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 48.6%, draws 2.4% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 5.9K Lichess games.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 48.7%, draws 4.2% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 10K Lichess games.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 45.4%, draws 5.8% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 3.2K Lichess games.
What is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack win rate in Classical?
In Classical, White wins 42.5%, draws 5.5% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.3%. It rests on 136 Lichess games.
Is the Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack a good opening?
The Rat Defense: Petruccioli Attack is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.0% of its games and loses 48.0%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.