Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6
60K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
50.6%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.0%.
Measured over 60K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 5.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 60K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 60K
- Best context
- 55.5% at 1200-1399 Blitz
- Worst context
- 42.2% at 2500+ Blitz
- Average game length
- 37 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 94.1%
- Draws
- 5.9%
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 · 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: 62.0% at 0-999, 44.8% 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, UltraBullet: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 60.9% expected score (306 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 55.3% expected score (356 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 63.6% expected score (142 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.9% expected score (1,249 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.4% expected score (1,043 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 54.8% expected score (437 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 41.3% expected score (10 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (1,568 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 55.5% expected score (2,298 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 54.9% expected score (846 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 70.8% expected score (25 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (2,383 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (3,859 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 53.8% expected score (1,443 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.1% expected score (95 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 67.7% expected score (7 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.5% expected score (3,396 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (5,684 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (1,538 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 58.8% expected score (130 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 57.5% expected score (12 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.9% expected score (3,910 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (5,961 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.4% expected score (1,129 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 45.8% expected score (46 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (17 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (3,977 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (4,413 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.0% expected score (557 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 43.4% expected score (21 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (4,272 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.4% expected score (3,850 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 46.3% expected score (378 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 31.7% expected score (23 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.4% expected score (2,531 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.2% expected score (1,369 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (212 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 46.2% expected score (25 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 scores 50.6% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.3% and 51.0% — from 60K 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
- 60K+ 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: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate?
Playing the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6, Black wins 47.6%, draws 5.9% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 60K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 perform best?
The Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 59.0% (808 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 50.5% in Blitz (29K games) against 53.0% in Rapid (6.7K games).
How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6?
The Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 has a sharpness score of 94.1 (decisive), meaning 94.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 57.6%, draws 2.8% and loses 39.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.0%. It rests on 808 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 52.2%, draws 3.3% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 2.7K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 53.3%, draws 2.5% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 4.7K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 51.5%, draws 4.0% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 7.8K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 50.0%, draws 4.2% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 48.0%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 47.1%, draws 5.4% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 9.0K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.9%, draws 7.4% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 8.5K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 32.7%, draws 21.0% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.2%. It rests on 4.1K Lichess games, which average 48 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 47.7%, draws 4.5% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 24K Lichess games.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 47.2%, draws 6.5% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 29K Lichess games.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 49.2%, draws 7.7% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 6.7K Lichess games.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 46.3%, draws 13.4% and loses 40.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 369 Lichess games.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 a good opening?
The Sicilian Defense: Closed, Anti-Sveshnikov Variation, with d6 is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 47.6% of its games and loses 46.5%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.