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Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack

21K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

59.2%

45%65%
Floor58.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 59.8%.

Measured over 21K 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 5.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 21K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
21K
Best context
64.8% at 1800-1999 Rapid
Worst context
51.0% at 2500+ Bullet
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
94.7%
Draws
5.3%

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.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Traps & Chaos

Complexity: 94.4 · Trap factor: +18.7 · 21K games

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 8.6% · Classical best · Bullet 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: 51.7% at 0-999, 57.4% 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: 50.8% expected score (67 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 53.3% expected score (135 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.9% expected score (54 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 56.2% expected score (177 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 58.1% expected score (413 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 55.3% expected score (188 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 57.1% expected score (317 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 57.5% expected score (972 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 62.2% expected score (419 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 67.2% expected score (16 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 59.7% expected score (458 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 59.8% expected score (1,557 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 62.2% expected score (848 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 66.8% expected score (55 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 57.5% expected score (525 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 60.0% expected score (1,763 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 60.7% expected score (1,055 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 73.6% expected score (79 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 59.3% expected score (798 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 63.8% expected score (1,588 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 64.8% expected score (867 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 58.7% expected score (68 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 63.5% expected score (876 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 59.6% expected score (1,630 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 66.9% expected score (360 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 58.2% expected score (23 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (1,334 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 57.0% expected score (2,705 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 62.2% expected score (244 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (1,255 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (565 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 68.1% expected score (51 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: Venice Attack PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack scores 59.2% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 58.6% and 59.8% — from 21K 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
21K+ 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: Venice Attack win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack, White wins 56.5%, draws 5.3% and loses 38.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.2%. It rests on 21K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack performs best for White at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 62.9% (3.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 59.1% in Blitz (11K games) against 62.4% in Rapid (4.1K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack?

The Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack has a sharpness score of 94.7 (decisive), meaning 94.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 50.7%, draws 2.9% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 256 Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 55.1%, draws 4.0% and loses 40.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.1%. It rests on 783 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 56.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 39.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.7%. It rests on 1.7K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 58.4%, draws 4.4% and loses 37.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.7%. It rests on 2.9K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 58.1%, draws 4.2% and loses 37.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.2%. It rests on 3.4K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 60.7%, draws 4.2% and loses 35.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 62.9%. It rests on 3.3K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 59.0%, draws 5.5% and loses 35.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 61.7%. It rests on 2.9K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 53.1%, draws 7.6% and loses 39.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.9%. It rests on 4.3K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 48.0%, draws 8.1% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 1.9K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 54.7%, draws 4.3% and loses 41.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.9%. It rests on 5.8K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 56.1%, draws 5.9% and loses 38.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.1%. It rests on 11K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 59.8%, draws 5.3% and loses 35.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 62.4%. It rests on 4.1K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 63.3%, draws 5.8% and loses 30.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 66.2%. It rests on 249 Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Venice Attack is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 56.5% of its games and loses 38.2%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.