Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation

315K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
d
c
b
a
6...e6
Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

49.0%

45%55%
Floor48.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.1%.

Measured over 315K 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 Black

Draw 4.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 315K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
315K
Best context
53.1% at 1200-1399 Rapid
Worst context
42.7% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
95.7%
Draws
4.3%

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 · Black score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 53.8% at 0-999, 43.6% 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: 51.3% expected score (279 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (138 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 55.1% expected score (18 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (1,176 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (816 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (138 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (3,322 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (3,817 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (552 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 53.1% expected score (15 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (7,456 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (13,936 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.9% expected score (2,427 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 47.9% expected score (117 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 35.7% expected score (16 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (14,057 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (34,097 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (7,121 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.6% expected score (386 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 56.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.4% expected score (19,063 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.6% expected score (58,416 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.3% expected score (13,479 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 48.8% expected score (815 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (18,987 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.2% expected score (51,482 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 49.0% expected score (11,042 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 52.2% expected score (421 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 11.5% expected score (5 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (19,979 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (21,825 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 49.4% expected score (3,076 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 35.4% expected score (36 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (5,527 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.7% expected score (848 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 39.1% expected score (49 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 43.4% expected score (6 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: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation scores 49.0% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.8% and 49.1% — from 315K 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
315K+ 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: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation, Black wins 46.8%, draws 4.3% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 315K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation performs best for Black at 1200-1399, with an Expected Score of 50.9% (7.7K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 48.8% in Blitz (185K games) against 49.4% in Rapid (38K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation?

The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation has a sharpness score of 95.7 (very decisive), meaning 95.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 52.1%, draws 1.0% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 435 Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 50.3%, draws 2.3% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 49.9%, draws 2.1% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 7.7K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 47.2%, draws 2.9% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 24K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 46.6%, draws 3.4% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 56K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 46.5%, draws 4.2% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 92K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.8%, draws 5.0% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 82K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 46.6%, draws 5.5% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 45K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 45.4%, draws 5.9% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 6.4K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 47.3%, draws 3.2% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 90K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 46.5%, draws 4.6% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 185K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 46.6%, draws 5.5% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 38K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 46.2%, draws 6.8% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 1.8K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Smith-Morra Gambit Accepted, Scheveningen Formation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.8% of its games and loses 48.9%. It performs best at 1200-1399. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.