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Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation

138K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.0%

45%60%
Floor51.7%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.2%.

Measured over 138K 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 4.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 138K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
138K
Best context
56.3% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
49.4% at 1400-1599 Bullet
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
95.5%
Draws
4.5%

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.

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: 48.8% at 0-999, 59.0% 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: 48.8% expected score (207 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 55.8% expected score (93 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 60.8% expected score (31 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (893 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.7% expected score (539 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 56.3% expected score (119 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 44.7% expected score (8 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (2,334 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (2,134 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.8% expected score (347 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (12 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 45.3% expected score (9 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (4,865 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (6,779 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 56.0% expected score (1,185 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.8% expected score (54 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (6,972 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.4% expected score (13,254 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.9% expected score (2,574 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 48.6% expected score (143 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (7,652 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (19,282 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (3,826 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.8% expected score (235 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (7,696 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (19,032 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 55.1% expected score (3,853 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 61.9% expected score (129 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (8,235 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (16,152 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.4% expected score (1,812 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 59.9% expected score (44 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.3% expected score (4,065 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.3% expected score (2,996 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 58.1% expected score (172 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 67.3% expected score (13 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 (10)
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Classical Variation
50.8%
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation
45.5%
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Dragon Variation
47.5%
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Modern Variation
47.3%
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Early Deviations
46.7%
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Vitolins Variation
47.2%
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Exchange Variation
44.7%
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation
51.0%
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Podebrady Variation
47.9%
Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Neo-Modern Variation, Nyezhmetdinov Attack
39.4%
Analyze Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation scores 52.0% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.7% and 52.2% — from 138K 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
138K+ 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: Richter-Rauzer Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, White wins 49.7%, draws 4.5% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 138K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 55.2% (7.2K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 52.1% in Blitz (80K games) against 53.9% in Rapid (14K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation has a sharpness score of 95.5 (very decisive), meaning 95.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 50.8%, draws 1.9% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 332 Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 49.9%, draws 1.3% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 49.7%, draws 2.5% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 4.8K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 49.4%, draws 2.9% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 49.1%, draws 3.5% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 23K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 49.1%, draws 4.2% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.2%, draws 4.8% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 50.1%, draws 5.5% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 50.4%, draws 9.6% and loses 40.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.2%. It rests on 7.2K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 49.3%, draws 3.3% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 43K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 49.6%, draws 4.9% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 80K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.9%, draws 6.0% and loses 43.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 14K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 50.4%, draws 8.6% and loses 41.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.7%. It rests on 632 Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 49.7% of its games and loses 45.8%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.