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Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation

4.7K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.6%

45%60%
Floor53.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 55.8%.

Measured over 4.7K 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 7.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 4.7K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
4.7K
Best context
55.0% at 2200-2499 Blitz
Worst context
51.2% at 2000-2199 Blitz
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
92.9%
Draws
7.1%

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.

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 falls away as the rating rises: 56.7% at 0-999, 53.4% 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, Bullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 67.4% expected score (10 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 64.3% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 58.6% expected score (16 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 43.0% expected score (27 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 60.2% expected score (43 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (61 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 74.4% expected score (17 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (69 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 64.2% expected score (168 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (52 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 58.4% expected score (124 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 56.5% expected score (435 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 68.2% expected score (103 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 62.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (198 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (821 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 64.0% expected score (210 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 52.5% expected score (19 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.7% expected score (425 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (1,136 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (143 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (313 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 60.8% expected score (240 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 51.8% expected score (26 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 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: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional 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, Traditional Variation scores 54.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.4% and 55.8% — from 4.7K 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
4.7K+ 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, Traditional Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation, White wins 51.0%, draws 7.1% and loses 41.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 4.7K rated games from Lichess.

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

The Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation performs best for White at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 58.9% (673 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 55.1% in Blitz (2.9K games) against 60.5% in Rapid (560 games).

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

The Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation has a sharpness score of 92.9 (decisive), meaning 92.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 57.1%, draws 2.8% and loses 40.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.5%. It rests on 122 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 54.4%, draws 7.0% and loses 38.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.9%. It rests on 290 Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 56.6%, draws 4.5% and loses 38.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.9%. It rests on 673 Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 49.3%, draws 6.8% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.5%, draws 7.2% and loses 43.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2500+, White wins 49.0%, draws 12.3% and loses 38.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.2%. It rests on 581 Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

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

In Bullet, White wins 47.3%, draws 6.4% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, White wins 51.8%, draws 6.5% and loses 41.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.1%. It rests on 2.9K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, White wins 54.9%, draws 11.1% and loses 33.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.5%. It rests on 560 Lichess games.

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

The Sicilian Defense: Richter-Rauzer Variation, Traditional Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.0% of its games and loses 41.9%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.