Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation
1.3K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
55.1%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 57.4%.
Measured over 1.3K games at this level and clock.
A strong choice for Black at this level and clock.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 4.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.3K games
- Rank among the families Black 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
- 37 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.
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 gets better as the rating rises: 45.8% at 1000-1199, 50.0% 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
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (10 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 62.9% expected score (14 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 43.6% expected score (14 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.8% expected score (52 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 34.7% expected score (5 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 57.7% expected score (44 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 58.8% expected score (181 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 65.8% expected score (27 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (104 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.0% expected score (349 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 67.6% expected score (27 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 55.4% expected score (139 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (252 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 44.2% expected score (7 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 70.0% expected score (36 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation scores 55.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.8% and 57.4% — 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 Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation win rate?
Playing the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation, Black wins 52.9%, draws 4.3% and loses 42.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.1%. It rests on 1.3K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation perform best?
The Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 59.4% (254 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 53.9% in Blitz (862 games) against 60.6% in Rapid (69 games).
How sharp is the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation?
The Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation has a sharpness score of 95.7 (very decisive), meaning 95.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 57.7%, draws 3.3% and loses 38.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.4%. It rests on 254 Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 51.4%, draws 4.7% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 480 Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 50.8%, draws 5.4% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 399 Lichess games, which average 40 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 55.3%, draws 3.0% and loses 41.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.8%. It rests on 350 Lichess games.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 51.5%, draws 4.8% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 862 Lichess games.
Is the Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation a good opening?
The Scandinavian Defense: Schiller-Pytel Variation, Modern Variation is good for Black. Across all ratings, Black wins 52.9% of its games and loses 42.7%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.