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Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation

367K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

42.6%

35%55%
Floor42.5%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 42.8%.

Measured over 367K 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 3.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 367K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
367K
Best context
46.8% at 1800-1999 Bullet
Worst context
28.8% at 1400-1599 Classical
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
96.5%
Draws
3.5%

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

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 12.6% · Classical best · Bullet worst

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: 44.9% at 0-999, 38.2% 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: 60.8% expected score (87 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 43.8% expected score (13,098 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 41.5% expected score (30,904 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 38.9% expected score (18,973 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 39.4% expected score (263 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 39.8% expected score (159 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 43.2% expected score (14,784 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 41.3% expected score (30,446 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 37.4% expected score (14,784 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 33.9% expected score (558 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 43.4% expected score (240 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 45.6% expected score (16,482 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 42.3% expected score (31,048 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 38.8% expected score (14,716 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 31.9% expected score (810 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 38.0% expected score (240 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 45.1% expected score (17,966 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 43.8% expected score (33,547 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 39.7% expected score (13,125 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 28.8% expected score (1,016 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 47.4% expected score (113 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.3% expected score (15,737 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 44.6% expected score (27,716 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 41.6% expected score (9,184 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 29.7% expected score (522 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 37.9% expected score (77 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.8% expected score (13,788 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 44.6% expected score (19,807 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 41.5% expected score (5,441 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 33.9% expected score (179 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 48.7% expected score (38 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 45.6% expected score (7,616 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 41.0% expected score (6,214 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 38.5% expected score (1,091 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 25.7% expected score (17 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 32.8% expected score (13 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 45.9% expected score (4,052 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 37.5% expected score (968 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 39.3% expected score (124 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 39.0% expected score (738 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 33.7% expected score (63 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 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: Jalalabad Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation scores 42.6% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 42.5% and 42.8% — from 367K 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
367K+ 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: Jalalabad Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation, Black wins 40.8%, draws 3.5% and loses 55.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.6%. It rests on 367K rated games from Lichess.

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

The Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 44.9% (39K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 42.8% in Blitz (181K games) against 39.2% in Rapid (77K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation has a sharpness score of 96.5 (very decisive), meaning 96.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

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

At 0-999, Black wins 39.2%, draws 3.9% and loses 56.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.2%. It rests on 63K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 39.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 57.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 40.7%. It rests on 61K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 40.6%, draws 3.1% and loses 56.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.2%. It rests on 63K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 41.5%, draws 3.2% and loses 55.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.1%. It rests on 66K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 42.6%, draws 3.6% and loses 53.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.4%. It rests on 53K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 42.8%, draws 4.0% and loses 53.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.9%. It rests on 39K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 40.9%, draws 4.5% and loses 54.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.2%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 41.8%, draws 4.7% and loses 53.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.1%. It rests on 5.2K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 36.3%, draws 4.5% and loses 59.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 38.6%. It rests on 806 Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

In UltraBullet, Black wins 42.3%, draws 1.5% and loses 56.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.1%. It rests on 967 Lichess games.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 44.0%, draws 2.4% and loses 53.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.2%. It rests on 104K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 40.9%, draws 3.8% and loses 55.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.8%. It rests on 181K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 37.0%, draws 4.4% and loses 58.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 39.2%. It rests on 77K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 29.4%, draws 4.3% and loses 66.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 31.6%. It rests on 3.4K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Jalalabad Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 40.8% of its games and loses 55.7%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.