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Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation

148K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.0%

45%60%
Floor53.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.2%.

Measured over 148K 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 4.0 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 148K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
148K
Best context
63.2% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Worst context
47.3% at 1000-1199 Bullet
Average game length
33 moves
Games that end decisively
96.0%
Draws
4.0%

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: 53.2% at 0-999, 57.3% 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: 47.8% expected score (731 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (878 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 58.7% expected score (195 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.3% expected score (1,767 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (2,851 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (920 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (2,399 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (5,845 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 54.0% expected score (2,368 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (32 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (3,956 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.2% expected score (9,323 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 55.5% expected score (3,879 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.6% expected score (110 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (5,764 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (13,249 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 55.0% expected score (4,336 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 59.1% expected score (224 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 54.9% expected score (6,717 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 54.1% expected score (17,844 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 57.5% expected score (4,372 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 58.5% expected score (199 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 54.0% expected score (7,342 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 55.5% expected score (18,885 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 59.6% expected score (2,502 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 62.2% expected score (97 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 56.1% expected score (11,634 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.9% expected score (12,255 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 63.2% expected score (1,391 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (4,371 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 55.6% expected score (1,588 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 61.0% expected score (35 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Scandinavian Defense
48.5%
Variations (5)
Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation
50.2%
Scandinavian Defense: Valencian Variation
49.0%
Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation
47.8%
Scandinavian Defense: Main Line
47.3%
Scandinavian Defense: Gubinsky-Melts Defense
48.5%
Analyze Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation scores 54.0% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.8% and 54.2% — from 148K 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
148K+ 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 Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate?

Playing the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation, White wins 52.0%, draws 4.0% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 148K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation perform best?

The Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation performs best for White at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 55.5% (29K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 53.5% in Blitz (83K games) against 56.7% in Rapid (20K games).

How sharp is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation?

The Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation has a sharpness score of 96.0 (very decisive), meaning 96.0% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 50.4%, draws 2.2% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 1.8K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 49.0%, draws 2.9% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 5.5K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 50.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.7%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 50.8%, draws 3.1% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 17K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.8%, draws 3.4% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 24K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 52.8%, draws 3.9% and loses 43.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.8%. It rests on 29K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 53.4%, draws 4.1% and loses 42.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.5%. It rests on 29K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 52.9%, draws 5.0% and loses 42.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 25K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 52.1%, draws 6.5% and loses 41.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 6.0K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 45K Lichess games.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 51.3%, draws 4.3% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 83K Lichess games.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 54.4%, draws 4.5% and loses 41.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.7%. It rests on 20K Lichess games.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 54.8%, draws 6.7% and loses 38.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.2%. It rests on 677 Lichess games.

Is the Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation a good opening?

The Scandinavian Defense: Lasker Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 52.0% of its games and loses 44.0%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.