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Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation

397K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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6.Nf3
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

48.8%

45%55%
Floor48.7%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.0%.

Measured over 397K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for White

Draw 4.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 397K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
397K
Best context
52.3% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Worst context
43.3% at 1400-1599 Classical
Average game length
33 moves
Games that end decisively
95.9%
Draws
4.1%

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.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 8.0% · Bullet best · Classical worst

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: 49.4% at 0-999, 56.4% 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: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (2,572 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (3,800 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 46.6% expected score (1,058 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 64.9% expected score (12 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (7,031 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (11,612 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 48.0% expected score (4,598 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 25.4% expected score (39 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 54.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (13,485 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (23,072 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (9,800 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 45.9% expected score (239 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 37.7% expected score (35 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (20,909 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (40,031 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.0% expected score (15,275 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 43.3% expected score (831 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 44.8% expected score (56 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (25,713 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (52,347 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.5% expected score (18,300 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 45.4% expected score (1,162 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 39.4% expected score (69 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.9% expected score (24,642 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (42,709 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.7% expected score (15,902 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 43.3% expected score (779 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.1% expected score (88 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (18,367 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.3% expected score (18,506 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.5% expected score (5,754 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 43.2% expected score (204 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 56.7% expected score (36 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (10,970 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (3,670 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (1,219 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 42.5% expected score (25 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 55.9% expected score (7 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (2,051 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (155 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 72.1% expected score (62 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: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation scores 48.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.7% and 49.0% — from 397K 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
397K+ 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: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation, White wins 46.7%, draws 4.1% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 397K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation performs best for White at 2200-2499, with an Expected Score of 49.9% (16K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 48.6% in Blitz (196K games) against 47.7% in Rapid (72K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation has a sharpness score of 95.9 (very decisive), meaning 95.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 46.6%, draws 2.9% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 7.4K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 46.7%, draws 3.4% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 23K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 47.3%, draws 3.4% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 47K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 46.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 77K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 46.8%, draws 4.1% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 98K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 46.4%, draws 4.6% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 84K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 46.1%, draws 4.9% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 43K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 47.2%, 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 16K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 46.7%, draws 6.4% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 2.3K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 46.3%, draws 3.9% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 319 Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 48.4%, draws 2.9% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 126K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 46.4%, draws 4.4% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 196K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 45.1%, draws 5.1% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 72K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 40.4%, draws 7.1% and loses 52.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.0%. It rests on 3.3K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Lasker-Pelikan Variation, Retreat Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 46.7% of its games and loses 49.2%. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.