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Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap

13K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

67.6%

45%75%
Floor66.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 68.2%.

Measured over 13K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 3.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 13K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
13K
Best context
72.3% at 1800-1999 Rapid
Worst context
66.2% at 1600-1799 Blitz
Average game length
30 moves
Games that end decisively
96.6%
Draws
3.4%

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 · 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: 43.1% at 0-999, 74.0% 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, Bullet: 54.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 36.5% expected score (17 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 57.7% expected score (70 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 59.6% expected score (82 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 81.4% expected score (24 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 61.2% expected score (133 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 56.4% expected score (187 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 69.3% expected score (79 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 59.7% expected score (263 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 64.4% expected score (469 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 66.9% expected score (170 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 36.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 64.8% expected score (371 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 66.2% expected score (938 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 64.9% expected score (336 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.0% expected score (15 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 69.0% expected score (679 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 67.9% expected score (1,898 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 72.3% expected score (552 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 73.8% expected score (30 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 68.8% expected score (879 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 67.8% expected score (2,002 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 70.4% expected score (421 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 76.8% expected score (19 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 68.1% expected score (1,221 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 69.3% expected score (1,419 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 68.9% expected score (208 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 59.1% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 68.6% expected score (700 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 68.0% expected score (115 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 85.3% expected score (7 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: Magnus Smith Trap PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap scores 67.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 66.9% and 68.2% — from 13K 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
13K+ 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: Magnus Smith Trap win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap, White wins 65.9%, draws 3.4% and loses 30.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 67.6%. It rests on 13K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap performs best for White at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 69.0% (3.2K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 67.2% in Blitz (7.1K games) against 69.7% in Rapid (1.8K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap?

The Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap has a sharpness score of 96.6 (very decisive), meaning 96.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 30 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 60.0%, draws 4.2% and loses 35.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 62.1%. It rests on 176 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 60.0%, draws 1.1% and loses 38.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.6%. It rests on 399 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 61.9%, draws 2.7% and loses 35.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 63.3%. It rests on 909 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 63.8%, draws 3.2% and loses 33.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 65.4%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 67.5%, draws 3.0% and loses 29.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 69.0%. It rests on 3.2K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 66.8%, draws 3.2% and loses 29.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 68.5%. It rests on 3.3K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 66.7%, draws 4.2% and loses 29.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 68.8%. It rests on 2.9K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 66.0%, draws 5.5% and loses 28.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 68.8%. It rests on 822 Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 65.8%, draws 2.9% and loses 31.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 67.3%. It rests on 4.3K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 65.4%, draws 3.6% and loses 31.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 67.2%. It rests on 7.1K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 67.8%, draws 3.7% and loses 28.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 69.7%. It rests on 1.8K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Magnus Smith Trap is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 65.9% of its games and loses 30.8%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.