Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack
1.3K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
52.6%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.8%.
Measured over 1.3K games at this level and clock.
A strong choice for White at this level and clock.
Outcomes for White
Draw 10.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.3K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 1.3K
- Best context
- not measured yet
- Average game length
- 39 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 89.7%
- Draws
- 10.3%
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 · 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 falls away as the rating rises: 70.0% at 1200-1399, 47.5% 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
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (18 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (18 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.9% expected score (37 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (134 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 33.6% expected score (26 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 44.0% expected score (90 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (280 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 63.4% expected score (51 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 60.6% expected score (8 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (163 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.4% expected score (288 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.7% expected score (63 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 66.0% expected score (11 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 61.3% expected score (83 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 58.5% expected score (22 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 22.8% expected score (4 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack scores 52.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.3% and 54.8% — from 1.3K 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
- 1.3K+ 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 Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack win rate?
Playing the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack, White wins 47.4%, draws 10.3% and loses 42.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 1.3K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack perform best?
The Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 59.1% (109 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 53.3% in Blitz (745 games) against 54.0% in Rapid (148 games).
How sharp is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack?
The Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack has a sharpness score of 89.7 (moderately decisive), meaning 89.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 39 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 45.5%, draws 9.6% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 202 Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 46.6%, draws 9.4% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 429 Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 47.8%, draws 11.1% and loses 41.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 525 Lichess games, which average 42 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 52.0%, draws 14.0% and loses 33.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.1%. It rests on 109 Lichess games, which average 47 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 46.8%, draws 7.4% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 397 Lichess games.
What is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 48.2%, draws 10.1% and loses 41.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 745 Lichess games.
What is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 45.8%, draws 16.4% and loses 37.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 148 Lichess games.
Is the Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack a good opening?
The Russian Game: Classical Attack, Chigorin Variation, Browne Attack is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 47.4% of its games and loses 42.3%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.