Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation

418K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
6.Be2
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.4%

45%55%
Floor50.2%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 50.5%.

Measured over 418K 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 5.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 418K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
418K
Best context
60.5% at 2500+ Rapid
Worst context
46.6% at 1600-1799 Classical
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
94.8%
Draws
5.2%

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: 41.6% at 0-999, 60.7% 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: 37.9% expected score (283 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.6% expected score (142 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (36 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (1,430 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (976 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 48.2% expected score (191 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (9 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (3,166 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (4,211 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 50.4% expected score (897 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 54.5% expected score (32 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 55.9% expected score (7 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.7% expected score (7,774 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (13,161 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.9% expected score (3,394 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.2% expected score (205 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (14,272 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (38,549 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.4% expected score (8,823 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 46.6% expected score (710 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (19,415 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (79,490 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.5% expected score (18,221 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 48.7% expected score (1,343 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.7% expected score (22,939 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (75,948 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (19,670 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 53.0% expected score (926 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (22,056 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.6% expected score (37,286 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (7,728 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 58.8% expected score (208 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.5% expected score (8,521 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.3% expected score (5,024 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 60.5% expected score (516 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 61.3% expected score (52 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%
Continuations (2)
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Modern Line
47.8%
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, Traditional Line
45.6%
Analyze Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation scores 50.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.2% and 50.5% — from 418K 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
418K+ 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: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation, White wins 47.8%, draws 5.2% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 418K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 55.7% (14K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 50.6% in Blitz (255K games) against 50.5% in Rapid (59K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation has a sharpness score of 94.8 (decisive), meaning 94.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 41.1%, draws 1.8% and loses 57.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.0%. It rests on 462 Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 47.8%, draws 2.3% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 2.6K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 47.6%, draws 2.7% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 8.3K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 47.6%, draws 3.2% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 25K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 47.5%, draws 4.0% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 62K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 47.3%, draws 4.8% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 118K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 47.0%, draws 5.4% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 119K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.8%, draws 6.2% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 67K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 49.7%, draws 12.0% and loses 38.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.7%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 45 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 48.0%, draws 3.7% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 100K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 47.9%, draws 5.4% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 255K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 47.1%, draws 6.6% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 59K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 45.0%, draws 10.1% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 3.5K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 47.8% of its games and loses 47.1%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.