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Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense

133K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.1%

40%55%
Floor46.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 47.4%.

Measured over 133K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 8.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 133K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
133K
Best context
53.2% at 1600-1799 Rapid
Worst context
41.3% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
91.3%
Draws
8.7%

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: 54.4% at 0-999, 42.5% 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: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 53.5% expected score (144 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (144 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (61 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (398 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (422 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 45.2% expected score (173 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 56.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.1% expected score (1,110 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (1,078 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.9% expected score (287 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 36.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (2,584 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (2,685 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.6% expected score (533 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 39.6% expected score (32 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 48.7% expected score (4,956 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (7,782 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.2% expected score (1,336 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 60.7% expected score (92 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (7,475 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (19,009 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.1% expected score (3,448 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.2% expected score (265 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (8,727 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (22,450 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (4,565 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 47.0% expected score (233 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 27.8% expected score (3 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.0% expected score (10,240 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 44.4% expected score (16,872 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 41.3% expected score (2,145 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 36.9% expected score (86 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 45.0% expected score (7,414 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 43.4% expected score (4,886 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 41.9% expected score (935 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 39.8% expected score (174 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Semi-Slav Defense
51.5%
Variations (5)
Semi-Slav Defense: Accelerated Move Order
50.8%
Semi-Slav Defense: Main Line
51.8%
Semi-Slav Defense: Marshall Gambit
53.5%
Semi-Slav Defense: Noteboom Variation
49.8%
Semi-Slav Defense: Normal Variation
48.8%
Analyze Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense scores 47.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 46.9% and 47.4% — from 133K 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
133K+ 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: Chigorin Defense win rate?

Playing the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense, Black wins 42.7%, draws 8.7% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 133K rated games from Lichess.

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

The Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense performs best for Black at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 50.2% (14K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 47.2% in Blitz (75K games) against 47.3% in Rapid (13K games).

How sharp is the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense?

The Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense has a sharpness score of 91.3 (decisive), meaning 91.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

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

At 0-999, Black wins 50.4%, draws 0.7% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 353 Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 47.3%, draws 2.9% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 1.0K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 48.4%, draws 2.2% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 2.5K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 48.0%, draws 2.8% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 5.8K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 48.4%, draws 3.6% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 46.1%, draws 5.0% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 30K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 44.2%, draws 5.7% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 36K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 41.2%, draws 7.1% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.7%. It rests on 29K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 24.8%, draws 38.5% and loses 36.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.1%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 53 moves.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 42.7%, draws 8.1% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 43K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 43.0%, draws 8.4% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.2%. It rests on 75K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 41.6%, draws 11.3% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 13K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 34.9%, draws 23.5% and loses 41.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 894 Lichess games.

Is the Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense a good opening?

The Semi-Slav Defense: Chigorin Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 42.7% of its games and loses 48.6%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.