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Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense

13K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

No move sequence recorded for this opening

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.1%

45%60%
Floor51.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.9%.

Measured over 13K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 3.8 · 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
58.1% at 2500+ Bullet
Worst context
44.6% at 1600-1799 Bullet
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
96.2%
Draws
3.8%

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: 45.1% at 0-999, 64.0% 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, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 42.0% expected score (36 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (77 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 59.1% expected score (26 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (117 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.9% expected score (310 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 57.2% expected score (68 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 45.6% expected score (348 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (658 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (163 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 59.1% expected score (15 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 45.9% expected score (551 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (994 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (328 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 57.5% expected score (12 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 40.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 44.6% expected score (538 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (1,532 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.4% expected score (291 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 40.9% expected score (15 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 54.6% expected score (594 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.2% expected score (1,702 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (129 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (596 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (1,039 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 63.0% expected score (64 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (888 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.5% expected score (897 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 64.6% expected score (26 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 58.1% expected score (599 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 63.9% expected score (85 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 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%

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense scores 52.1% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.4% and 52.9% — 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: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense, White wins 50.2%, draws 3.8% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 13K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 58.9% (685 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.8% in Blitz (7.3K games) against 52.9% in Rapid (1.1K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense?

The Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense has a sharpness score of 96.2 (very decisive), meaning 96.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 47.7%, draws 2.5% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 140 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 52.4%, draws 2.5% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 498 Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 47.7%, draws 3.0% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 47.6%, draws 2.9% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 1.9K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 49.0%, draws 3.2% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 2.4K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.7%, draws 3.9% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 2.4K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 51.7%, draws 4.6% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 51.2%, draws 5.4% and loses 43.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 1.8K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 55.9%, draws 6.0% and loses 38.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.9%. It rests on 685 Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 49.2%, draws 3.0% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 4.3K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.6%, draws 4.3% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 7.3K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.9%, draws 4.1% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Rossolimo Variation, Brooklyn Retreat Defense is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 50.2% of its games and loses 46.0%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.