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Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation

2.3M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.0%

45%55%
Floor49.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 2.3M 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 4.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 2.3M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
2.3M
Best context
56.7% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
41.4% at 1000-1199 Classical
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
95.6%
Draws
4.4%

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.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Gambit BreakpointWhite

Peak: +7.4% · Breakpoint: 0-999

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 8.8% · Bullet best · UltraBullet worst

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: 41.4% at 0-999, 61.5% 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: 29.2% expected score (73 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 45.7% expected score (20,538 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (59,159 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (24,570 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 39.3% expected score (266 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 39.4% expected score (93 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (34,499 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (102,594 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 47.1% expected score (45,125 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 41.4% expected score (1,236 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 41.6% expected score (148 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (53,221 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (152,742 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.4% expected score (74,083 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 45.1% expected score (3,396 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 31.1% expected score (152 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (74,846 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (207,219 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (98,053 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 43.5% expected score (6,818 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 54.0% expected score (112 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (90,329 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (267,026 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (106,542 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 45.9% expected score (7,751 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 46.7% expected score (73 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (112,768 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (277,232 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.8% expected score (85,013 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 47.0% expected score (3,246 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 51.4% expected score (34 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.8% expected score (88,367 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (151,196 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (39,282 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 54.6% expected score (1,156 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (53,951 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (41,044 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.1% expected score (5,002 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 60.8% expected score (59 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.1% expected score (13,227 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.7% expected score (1,462 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 61.1% expected score (89 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 65.4% expected score (5 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: Staunton-Cochrane Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation scores 50.0% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.9% and 50.0% — from 2.3M 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
2.3M+ 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: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation, White wins 47.8%, draws 4.4% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 2.3M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 54.4% (15K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 50.3% in Blitz (1.3M games) against 48.6% in Rapid (478K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation has a sharpness score of 95.6 (very decisive), meaning 95.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 44.6%, draws 3.7% and loses 51.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.5%. It rests on 105K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 46.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 184K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 47.0%, draws 3.6% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 284K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 47.0%, draws 3.9% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 387K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 47.9%, draws 4.5% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 472K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 48.6%, draws 4.9% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 478K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 49.1%, draws 5.4% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 280K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.7%, draws 5.8% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 100K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 51.0%, draws 6.8% and loses 42.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 40.5%, draws 0.9% and loses 58.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.0%. It rests on 696 Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 49.3%, draws 2.9% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 542K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 47.9%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 1.3M Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 45.9%, draws 5.3% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 478K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 42.6%, draws 5.6% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.4%. It rests on 24K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Staunton-Cochrane Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 47.8% of its games and loses 47.8%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.