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Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense

16K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

58.3%

45%65%
Floor57.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 58.9%.

Measured over 16K 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 4.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 16K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
16K
Best context
59.6% at 1800-1999 Blitz
Worst context
55.7% at 2500+ Bullet
Average game length
34 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.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 9.2% · Blitz best · Classical worst

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: 56.8% at 0-999, 59.0% 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, Bullet: 56.8% expected score (28 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 59.8% expected score (24 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 53.8% expected score (25 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 59.4% expected score (89 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 59.9% expected score (74 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 58.7% expected score (39 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 58.4% expected score (196 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 62.7% expected score (196 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.5% expected score (71 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 57.3% expected score (478 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 58.7% expected score (551 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.9% expected score (158 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 69.1% expected score (9 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 53.5% expected score (13 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 58.3% expected score (825 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 59.1% expected score (1,375 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 58.0% expected score (337 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.7% expected score (28 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 57.7% expected score (1,292 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 59.6% expected score (2,395 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 56.5% expected score (562 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.1% expected score (47 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 56.6% expected score (1,452 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 58.0% expected score (2,428 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 62.0% expected score (385 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 42.5% expected score (25 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 57.7% expected score (1,522 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 59.5% expected score (792 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 63.4% expected score (133 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (511 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 64.5% expected score (47 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 56.7% expected score (6 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Rubinstein Opening
52.7%
Variations (3)
Rubinstein Opening: Classical Defense
53.1%
Rubinstein Opening: Bogoljubow Defense
54.2%
Rubinstein Opening: Bogoljubov Defense
51.0%
Analyze Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense scores 58.3% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 57.6% and 58.9% — from 16K 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
16K+ 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 Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate?

Playing the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense, White wins 56.1%, draws 4.3% and loses 39.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.3%. It rests on 16K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense perform best?

The Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense performs best for White at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 58.5% (4.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 59.1% in Blitz (7.9K games) against 58.2% in Rapid (1.7K games).

How sharp is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense?

The Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense has a sharpness score of 95.7 (very decisive), meaning 95.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 58.2%, draws 2.7% and loses 39.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.6%. It rests on 202 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 58.4%, draws 3.1% and loses 38.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.0%. It rests on 467 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 55.6%, draws 3.2% and loses 41.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.2%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 56.8%, draws 3.5% and loses 39.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.6%. It rests on 2.6K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 56.5%, draws 3.9% and loses 39.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.5%. It rests on 4.3K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 55.2%, draws 5.3% and loses 39.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.9%. It rests on 4.3K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 56.0%, draws 5.3% and loses 38.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.7%. It rests on 2.4K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 54.6%, draws 3.8% and loses 41.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.5%. It rests on 564 Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 55.8%, draws 3.3% and loses 41.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.4%. It rests on 6.4K Lichess games.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 56.8%, draws 4.6% and loses 38.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.1%. It rests on 7.9K Lichess games.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 54.9%, draws 6.6% and loses 38.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.2%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games.

What is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 47.6%, draws 8.3% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 113 Lichess games.

Is the Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense a good opening?

The Rubinstein Opening: Semi-Slav Defense is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 56.1% of its games and loses 39.6%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.