Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense
853 games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
45.8%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 48.6%.
Measured over 853 games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 5.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 853 games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 853
- Best context
- not measured yet
- Average game length
- 36 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 94.9%
- Draws
- 5.1%
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: 30.0% at 0-999, 51.0% 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
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 46.0% expected score (11 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 39.2% expected score (17 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.9% expected score (7 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 40.7% expected score (20 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 41.2% expected score (27 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 72.3% expected score (3 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 44.9% expected score (18 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 43.7% expected score (38 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 70.4% expected score (23 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 36.5% expected score (43 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 45.3% expected score (104 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 44.2% expected score (7 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.5% expected score (56 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (130 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 55.3% expected score (8 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 36.1% expected score (45 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.3% expected score (241 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (3 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (15 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 33.0% expected score (22 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense scores 45.8% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 43.0% and 48.6% — from 853 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
- 853+ 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, Zaitsev Defense win rate?
Playing the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense, Black wins 43.2%, draws 5.1% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 853 rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense perform best?
The Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 50.5% (194 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 45.5% in Blitz (590 games) against 62.7% in Rapid (54 games).
How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense?
The Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense has a sharpness score of 94.9 (decisive), meaning 94.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 39.9%, draws 4.8% and loses 55.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.3%. It rests on 155 Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 48.3%, draws 4.3% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 194 Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 41.8%, draws 5.7% and loses 52.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.7%. It rests on 289 Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 40.5%, draws 4.1% and loses 55.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.6%. It rests on 207 Lichess games.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 42.9%, draws 5.2% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 590 Lichess games.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense a good opening?
The Sicilian Defense: Chekhover Variation, Zaitsev Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 43.2% of its games and loses 51.7%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.