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Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System

39K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.8%

45%60%
Floor51.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.3%.

Measured over 39K 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 6.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 39K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
39K
Best context
57.0% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Worst context
48.3% at 1800-1999 Bullet
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
93.7%
Draws
6.3%

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 · 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 holds about the same all the way up, near 59.2%.

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: 54.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 73.6% expected score (7 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 40.9% expected score (26 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 68.2% expected score (26 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 67.4% expected score (10 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (108 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (99 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 66.4% expected score (29 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 57.3% expected score (321 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (449 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 42.6% expected score (73 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.3% expected score (9 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (826 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.7% expected score (1,733 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (253 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 20.2% expected score (22 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (1,792 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (5,232 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.0% expected score (926 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.7% expected score (77 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.1% expected score (2,809 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (8,097 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (1,507 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 57.4% expected score (53 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (3,919 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (7,142 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 57.0% expected score (910 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 46.6% expected score (13 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.5% expected score (1,680 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (738 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 64.7% expected score (36 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 68.2% expected score (4 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Slav Defense
50.8%
Variations (5)
Slav Defense: Exchange Variation
50.4%
Slav Defense: Three Knights Variation
51.1%
Slav Defense: Modern Line
51.9%
Slav Defense: Quiet Variation, Pin Defense
49.6%
Slav Defense: Slav Gambit, Alekhine Attack
52.8%
Continuations (1)
Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System, Main Line
44.5%
Analyze Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System scores 51.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.4% and 52.3% — from 39K 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
39K+ 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 Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate?

Playing the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System, White wins 48.6%, draws 6.3% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 39K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System perform best?

The Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 54.8% (2.5K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.1% in Blitz (24K games) against 52.9% in Rapid (3.7K games).

How sharp is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System?

The Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System has a sharpness score of 93.7 (decisive), meaning 93.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 53.7%, draws 1.5% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 236 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 51.5%, draws 3.1% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 854 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 48.5%, draws 3.7% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 2.8K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 46.9%, draws 5.6% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 8.0K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 48.8%, draws 6.3% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.0%, draws 7.4% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 50.4%, draws 8.7% and loses 40.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.8%. It rests on 2.5K Lichess games, which average 44 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 48.8%, draws 4.4% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 11K Lichess games.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.6%, draws 6.9% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 24K Lichess games.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 48.5%, draws 8.7% and loses 42.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 3.7K Lichess games.

What is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 42.6%, draws 12.0% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 178 Lichess games.

Is the Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System a good opening?

The Slav Defense: Czech Variation, Classical System is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.6% of its games and loses 45.0%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.