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Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System

247K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.6%

45%60%
Floor52.5%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.8%.

Measured over 247K 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 4.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 247K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
247K
Best context
57.0% at 1800-1999 Classical
Worst context
50.1% at 0-999 Bullet
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
95.1%
Draws
4.9%

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: 59.8% at 0-999, 63.1% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (821 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 55.9% expected score (492 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (100 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.8% expected score (2,700 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (2,894 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 59.0% expected score (467 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (3,898 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (8,667 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.3% expected score (2,183 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 63.6% expected score (39 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (6,465 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (16,773 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (6,566 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 59.1% expected score (269 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (9,730 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.0% expected score (25,894 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (10,909 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 53.3% expected score (754 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (10,009 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.6% expected score (31,117 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.9% expected score (12,448 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 57.0% expected score (595 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (11,311 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (31,107 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (7,103 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 58.0% expected score (169 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (11,846 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.9% expected score (20,824 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 56.1% expected score (2,974 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 48.9% expected score (44 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.7% expected score (5,366 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 55.9% expected score (2,735 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 65.8% expected score (192 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 76.1% expected score (10 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 (4)
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, Steiner Line
50.9%
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, Ljubojevic Line
50.8%
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, Barcza Line
51.1%
Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, Gambit Line
48.1%
Analyze Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System scores 52.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.5% and 52.8% — from 247K 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
247K+ 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: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System, White wins 50.2%, draws 4.9% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 247K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 55.4% (8.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 52.4% in Blitz (141K games) against 53.7% in Rapid (43K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System?

The Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System has a sharpness score of 95.1 (very decisive), meaning 95.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 51.6%, draws 1.6% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 1.4K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 52.3%, draws 1.9% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 6.1K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 51.9%, draws 2.6% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 51.3%, draws 3.2% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 30K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.4%, draws 3.9% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 47K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 49.5%, draws 4.9% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 54K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 49.2%, draws 5.6% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 50K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 50.1%, draws 6.8% and loses 43.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 36K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 50.5%, draws 9.7% and loses 39.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 8.3K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 50.4%, draws 3.6% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 62K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 49.8%, draws 5.2% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 141K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.9%, draws 5.6% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 43K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 52.8%, draws 6.3% and loses 40.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.0%. It rests on 1.9K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: O'Kelly Variation, Venice System is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.2% of its games and loses 45.0%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.