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Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation

1.1M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.1%

45%60%
Floor52.1%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 1.1M 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 4.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.1M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
1.1M
Best context
57.9% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Worst context
46.3% at 0-999 Bullet
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
95.1%
Draws
4.9%

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: 45.3% at 0-999, 52.6% 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: 61.1% expected score (21 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 46.3% expected score (5,469 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 47.3% expected score (5,310 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 48.4% expected score (1,188 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 23.4% expected score (6 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 37.7% expected score (27 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (15,718 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (21,771 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (5,146 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 46.0% expected score (61 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 45.3% expected score (62 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (26,499 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (50,129 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (13,865 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 44.6% expected score (304 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (73 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (43,157 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (80,942 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (26,438 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 46.8% expected score (1,233 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 47.6% expected score (39 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (54,588 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (106,980 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (30,697 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 48.6% expected score (1,656 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 37.8% expected score (23 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (61,217 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (132,574 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (24,106 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 52.5% expected score (1,454 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 46.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (64,277 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 54.2% expected score (108,762 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 55.1% expected score (15,673 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 54.8% expected score (656 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 62.9% expected score (14 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (62,147 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 56.0% expected score (78,005 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 57.9% expected score (7,670 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 61.4% expected score (157 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 56.2% expected score (30,391 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.7% expected score (10,972 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 62.3% expected score (479 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 34.2% expected score (27 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%
Continuations (1)
Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense
51.7%
Analyze Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation scores 52.1% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.1% and 52.2% — from 1.1M 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
1.1M+ 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: Chekhover Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, White wins 49.6%, draws 4.9% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 1.1M rated games from Lichess.

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

The Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 56.6% (42K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 52.7% in Blitz (595K games) against 51.3% in Rapid (125K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation has a sharpness score of 95.1 (very decisive), meaning 95.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 45.6%, draws 2.6% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 47.6%, draws 2.9% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 43K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 48.1%, draws 3.3% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 91K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 48.1%, draws 3.8% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 152K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 49.0%, draws 4.4% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 194K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.0%, draws 5.0% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 219K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.5%, draws 5.7% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 189K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 51.5%, draws 6.7% and loses 41.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.9%. It rests on 148K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2500+, White wins 52.8%, draws 7.6% and loses 39.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.6%. It rests on 42K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 47.0%, draws 1.3% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 270 Lichess games.

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

In Bullet, White wins 49.6%, draws 3.7% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 363K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, White wins 50.0%, draws 5.5% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 595K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, White wins 48.5%, draws 5.6% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 125K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, White wins 46.3%, draws 7.2% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 5.6K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 49.6% of its games and loses 45.4%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.