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Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation

80K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.6%

40%55%
Floor47.3%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 47.8%.

Measured over 80K 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 4.0 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 80K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
80K
Best context
50.5% at 1200-1399 Bullet
Worst context
43.8% at 2000-2199 Blitz
Average game length
34 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 · 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: 44.6% at 0-999, 37.8% 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: 42.0% expected score (466 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (1,710 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (800 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 36.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.4% expected score (916 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (4,699 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (1,627 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 51.3% expected score (36 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (1,809 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (7,980 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.4% expected score (3,685 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 51.3% expected score (118 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (2,381 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (11,542 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (6,699 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 51.2% expected score (343 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.0% expected score (1,427 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 46.6% expected score (9,891 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (8,574 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 46.8% expected score (943 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (1,177 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 44.9% expected score (3,207 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 44.9% expected score (4,574 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 39.5% expected score (164 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 45.9% expected score (1,300 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 43.8% expected score (763 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.7% expected score (957 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 39.7% expected score (13 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (743 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.5% expected score (423 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 43.0% expected score (169 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (264 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 44.9% expected score (135 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 21.5% expected score (2 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Sicilian Defense
48.5%
Variations (5)
Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack
47.2%
Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian
48.5%
Sicilian Defense: Closed
49.8%
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation
50.2%
Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack
48.6%
Analyze Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation scores 47.6% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.3% and 47.8% — from 80K 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
80K+ 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 Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation, Black wins 45.5%, draws 4.0% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 80K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation performs best for Black at 1400-1599, with an Expected Score of 48.5% (21K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 47.7% in Blitz (40K games) against 47.1% in Rapid (27K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation has a sharpness score of 96.0 (very decisive), meaning 96.0% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 46.6%, draws 2.7% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 3.0K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.6%, draws 3.0% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 7.3K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.9%, draws 3.1% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation 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 21K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 44.9%, draws 4.4% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 42.9%, draws 5.0% and loses 52.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.4%. It rests on 9.1K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.1%, draws 4.9% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.6%. It rests on 3.0K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.5%, draws 4.8% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.9%. It rests on 1.3K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 26.7%, draws 38.6% and loses 34.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 401 Lichess games, which average 53 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 46.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 10K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 45.7%, draws 3.9% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 40K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 44.9%, draws 4.4% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 27K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 45.0%, draws 4.8% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Bücker Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 45.5% of its games and loses 50.4%. It performs best at 1400-1599. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.