Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation
63K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
56.0%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 56.3%.
Measured over 63K games at this level and clock.
A strong choice for White at this level and clock.
Outcomes for White
Draw 6.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 63K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 63K
- Best context
- 61.5% at 1400-1599 Rapid
- Worst context
- 52.0% at 1800-1999 Bullet
- Average game length
- 33 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 93.4%
- Draws
- 6.6%
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: 51.2% at 0-999, 58.2% 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
- 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 58.7% expected score (331 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 59.9% expected score (502 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 55.7% expected score (246 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 58.0% expected score (529 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 58.1% expected score (590 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 63.0% expected score (288 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 92.9% expected score (9 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 63.4% expected score (6 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 61.0% expected score (786 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 60.2% expected score (975 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 61.3% expected score (332 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 64.7% expected score (19 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (30 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.9% expected score (1,471 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 56.8% expected score (1,853 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 61.5% expected score (529 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 68.7% expected score (36 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 48.4% expected score (29 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (2,581 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 55.6% expected score (4,490 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 57.4% expected score (1,001 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 68.8% expected score (81 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 54.8% expected score (9 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (3,204 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 55.1% expected score (7,986 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 56.2% expected score (1,742 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.4% expected score (177 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 76.7% expected score (6 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 54.5% expected score (3,479 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 56.3% expected score (10,006 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.0% expected score (2,025 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 59.2% expected score (129 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 29.0% expected score (8 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (4,263 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 56.4% expected score (8,115 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.8% expected score (1,021 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 54.0% expected score (36 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 56.8% expected score (1,909 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.8% expected score (1,588 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 56.6% expected score (113 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (7 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation scores 56.0% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 55.6% and 56.3% — from 63K 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
- 63K+ 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: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate?
Playing the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation, White wins 52.7%, draws 6.6% and loses 40.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.0%. It rests on 63K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation perform best?
The Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation performs best for White at 1200-1399, with an Expected Score of 60.7% (2.1K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 56.3% in Blitz (36K games) against 56.6% in Rapid (7.3K games).
How sharp is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation?
The Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation has a sharpness score of 93.4 (decisive), meaning 93.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, White wins 57.2%, draws 2.4% and loses 40.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.4%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, White wins 58.4%, draws 1.9% and loses 39.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.4%. It rests on 1.4K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, White wins 59.6%, draws 2.2% and loses 38.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.7%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, White wins 55.6%, draws 2.4% and loses 42.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.8%. It rests on 3.9K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, White wins 53.9%, draws 4.1% and loses 42.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.0%. It rests on 8.2K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 51.8%, draws 5.2% and loses 43.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 52.3%, draws 6.7% and loses 41.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.7%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 51.7%, draws 8.4% and loses 39.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.0%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 47.4%, draws 19.6% and loses 32.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.3%. It rests on 3.6K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 52.4%, draws 5.5% and loses 42.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.1%. It rests on 19K Lichess games.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 52.8%, draws 6.9% and loses 40.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.3%. It rests on 36K Lichess games.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 52.9%, draws 7.4% and loses 39.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.6%. It rests on 7.3K Lichess games.
What is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation win rate in Classical?
In Classical, White wins 53.0%, draws 12.6% and loses 34.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.3%. It rests on 496 Lichess games.
Is the Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation a good opening?
The Russian Game: Modern Attack, Center Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 52.7% of its games and loses 40.8%. It performs best at 1200-1399. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.