Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation
589K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
49.9%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 50.0%.
Measured over 589K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 3.0 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 589K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 589K
- Best context
- 54.5% at 0-999 Bullet
- Worst context
- 42.2% at 1600-1799 Classical
- Average game length
- 33 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 97.0%
- Draws
- 3.0%
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.
Extra Analysis
Deep-dive datasets for this opening
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: 55.2% at 0-999, 36.9% 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: 71.3% expected score (22 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 54.5% expected score (5,341 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.4% expected score (3,325 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.0% expected score (584 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (3 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.8% expected score (102 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (15,708 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (15,181 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 48.5% expected score (2,919 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 36.9% expected score (29 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 61.0% expected score (149 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (37,415 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (41,929 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 48.1% expected score (10,616 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 51.4% expected score (146 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 59.1% expected score (136 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.7% expected score (53,448 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (63,343 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.8% expected score (18,107 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.9% expected score (692 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 59.1% expected score (251 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (56,613 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.5% expected score (69,716 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 46.9% expected score (21,106 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 42.2% expected score (820 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 39.5% expected score (84 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.9% expected score (47,479 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (47,229 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 46.3% expected score (13,713 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 35.3% expected score (345 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 34.7% expected score (5 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (18,731 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.8% expected score (20,482 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 43.3% expected score (3,098 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 34.5% expected score (37 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (11,173 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 47.6% expected score (3,974 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 40.6% expected score (274 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (4,399 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 39.1% expected score (122 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 47.4% expected score (37 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 11.9% expected score (9 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation scores 49.9% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.8% and 50.0% — from 589K 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
- 589K+ 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: Drazic Variation win rate?
Playing the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation, Black wins 48.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 589K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation perform best?
The Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 53.1% (9.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 49.0% in Blitz (265K games) against 47.1% in Rapid (70K games).
How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation?
The Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation has a sharpness score of 97.0 (very decisive), meaning 97.0% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 52.2%, draws 1.7% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 9.3K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 50.1%, draws 2.0% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 34K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 49.5%, draws 2.3% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 90K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 48.5%, draws 2.8% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 136K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 48.5%, draws 3.1% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 149K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 47.5%, draws 3.5% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 109K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.5%, draws 3.9% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 42K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 47.8%, draws 4.5% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 45.9%, draws 5.5% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 4.6K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 56.7%, draws 1.0% and loses 42.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.2%. It rests on 749 Lichess games.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 50.7%, draws 2.0% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.7%. It rests on 250K Lichess games.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 47.2%, draws 3.6% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 265K Lichess games.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 45.0%, draws 4.2% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 70K Lichess games.
What is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 40.1%, draws 5.1% and loses 54.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.7%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games.
Is the Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation a good opening?
The Sicilian Defense: Drazic Variation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 48.4% of its games and loses 48.6%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.