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Semi-Slav Defense Accepted

96K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

48.5%

45%55%
Floor48.3%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 48.8%.

Measured over 96K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 4.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 96K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
96K
Best context
53.1% at 2000-2199 Rapid
Worst context
42.2% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
35 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.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 13.6% · UltraBullet best · Classical worst

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: 57.3% at 0-999, 42.7% 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, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (96 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (97 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 58.2% expected score (17 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 42.3% expected score (496 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 43.2% expected score (267 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 45.2% expected score (102 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (52 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 45.4% expected score (1,203 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 44.6% expected score (650 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 41.7% expected score (214 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 60.6% expected score (8 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 44.0% expected score (149 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 43.9% expected score (3,035 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 45.9% expected score (1,896 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.8% expected score (338 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 42.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 40.0% expected score (288 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (6,308 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (4,841 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (649 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 43.8% expected score (47 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 40.9% expected score (146 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.2% expected score (10,730 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (11,339 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.7% expected score (1,269 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 54.1% expected score (85 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.8% expected score (28 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (11,744 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (15,725 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (1,622 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 60.6% expected score (46 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 72.3% expected score (3 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.8% expected score (10,826 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 49.3% expected score (8,616 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (731 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 44.8% expected score (8 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (2,188 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.2% expected score (562 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 39.2% expected score (17 games)
Analyze Semi-Slav Defense Accepted PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted scores 48.5% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.3% and 48.8% — from 96K 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
96K+ 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 Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate?

Playing the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted, Black wins 46.3%, draws 4.3% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 96K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted perform best?

The Semi-Slav Defense Accepted performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 50.3% (29K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 49.8% in Blitz (44K games) against 50.5% in Rapid (5.0K games).

How sharp is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted?

The Semi-Slav Defense Accepted has a sharpness score of 95.7 (very decisive), meaning 95.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 50.6%, draws 1.6% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 211 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 41.6%, draws 2.7% and loses 55.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.0%. It rests on 867 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 43.6%, draws 2.7% and loses 53.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.0%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 43.4%, draws 3.3% and loses 53.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.1%. It rests on 5.4K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.9%, draws 3.6% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 46.8%, draws 4.0% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 24K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 48.0%, draws 4.6% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 29K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 45.3%, draws 5.1% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 20K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 42.8%, draws 5.7% and loses 51.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.6%. It rests on 2.8K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 42.0%, draws 2.0% and loses 56.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.0%. It rests on 669 Lichess games.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 45.4%, draws 3.4% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 47K Lichess games.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 47.2%, draws 5.2% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 44K Lichess games.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 47.7%, draws 5.6% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 5.0K Lichess games.

What is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 47.2%, draws 10.4% and loses 42.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 205 Lichess games.

Is the Semi-Slav Defense Accepted a good opening?

The Semi-Slav Defense Accepted is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.3% of its games and loses 49.4%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.