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Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation

1.5M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

No move sequence recorded for this opening

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.5%

45%60%
Floor52.4%

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

Measured over 1.5M 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 3.8 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.5M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
1.5M
Best context
62.5% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Worst context
49.6% at 0-999 Bullet
Average game length
33 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: 51.4% at 0-999, 59.5% 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: 51.9% expected score (25 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (5,710 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (4,448 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 54.0% expected score (798 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 60.1% expected score (78 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (19,288 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (16,312 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (3,582 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 37.3% expected score (30 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.4% expected score (137 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (49,106 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (52,841 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (10,095 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 52.5% expected score (197 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 45.9% expected score (267 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (97,811 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (132,893 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 53.9% expected score (25,323 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 54.0% expected score (968 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 53.1% expected score (243 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (139,830 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (215,558 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.6% expected score (44,917 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 56.6% expected score (1,792 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 58.2% expected score (127 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (155,050 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (206,403 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.1% expected score (45,684 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 56.3% expected score (1,422 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.0% expected score (57 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (113,915 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 54.1% expected score (84,362 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 56.9% expected score (16,244 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 65.8% expected score (274 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 65.5% expected score (34 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (56,939 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 56.8% expected score (17,690 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 62.5% expected score (2,224 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 59.4% expected score (41 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 54.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 56.2% expected score (8,825 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.3% expected score (1,554 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 56.4% expected score (85 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 73.8% expected score (9 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: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation scores 52.5% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.4% and 52.5% — from 1.5M 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
1.5M+ 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: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation, White wins 50.6%, draws 3.8% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 1.5M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 56.4% (10K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 53.0% in Blitz (732K games) against 54.3% in Rapid (149K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation?

The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation has a sharpness score of 96.2 (very decisive), meaning 96.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 49.7%, draws 2.2% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 50.9%, draws 2.4% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 39K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 50.6%, draws 2.7% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 112K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 50.7%, draws 3.1% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 257K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 50.4%, draws 3.7% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 402K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.3%, draws 4.2% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 409K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.8%, draws 4.4% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 215K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 52.0%, draws 4.9% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 77K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 52.5%, draws 7.7% and loses 39.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.4%. It rests on 10K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 51.6%, draws 2.1% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 979 Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 50.0%, draws 3.0% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 646K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.8%, draws 4.3% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 732K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 51.8%, draws 5.0% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 149K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 53.3%, draws 6.0% and loses 40.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.3%. It rests on 4.7K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Taimanov Variation, Normal Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 50.6% of its games and loses 45.6%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.