Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense
127K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
49.4%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.6%.
Measured over 127K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 5.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 127K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 127K
- Best context
- 52.7% at 2000-2199 Blitz
- Worst context
- 43.8% at 1200-1399 Rapid
- Average game length
- 35 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 94.9%
- Draws
- 5.1%
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 · Black score by rating × clock
Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 55.7% at 0-999, 46.6% 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: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (1,151 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (3,154 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.1% expected score (1,183 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 46.8% expected score (14 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 36.7% expected score (6 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (2,279 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (6,362 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 44.8% expected score (2,493 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 42.8% expected score (40 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.4% expected score (3,018 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 46.6% expected score (7,142 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 43.8% expected score (3,435 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 44.4% expected score (106 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 32.4% expected score (7 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (3,449 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (7,001 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (3,037 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.9% expected score (216 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (3,172 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.6% expected score (9,042 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (2,247 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 43.3% expected score (365 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (4,694 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (11,329 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (2,540 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 49.5% expected score (193 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 40.9% expected score (4 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (6,527 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (13,190 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.2% expected score (2,416 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 43.8% expected score (142 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (9,206 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (10,670 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 46.0% expected score (786 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 36.1% expected score (20 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (3,360 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (2,506 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 54.6% expected score (64 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 36.7% expected score (6 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense scores 49.4% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.1% and 49.6% — from 127K 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
- 127K+ 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 Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate?
Playing the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense, Black wins 46.8%, draws 5.1% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 127K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense perform best?
The Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 52.3% (22K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 49.5% in Blitz (70K games) against 47.0% in Rapid (18K games).
How sharp is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense?
The Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense has a sharpness score of 94.9 (decisive), meaning 94.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 47.1%, draws 3.7% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 5.5K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 44.8%, draws 3.6% and loses 51.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 44.8%, draws 3.8% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 46.6%, draws 3.7% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 46.3%, draws 4.0% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.8%, draws 4.5% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 49.7%, draws 5.1% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 47.6%, draws 5.9% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 38.8%, draws 17.4% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 5.9K Lichess games, which average 44 moves.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 48.5%, draws 3.6% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 37K Lichess games.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 46.6%, draws 5.8% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 70K Lichess games.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 44.2%, draws 5.5% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 18K Lichess games.
What is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 41.6%, draws 6.4% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.8%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games.
Is the Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense a good opening?
The Ruy Lopez: Fianchetto Defense is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.8% of its games and loses 48.1%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.