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Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line

151K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.2%

40%55%
Floor47.0%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 47.4%.

Measured over 151K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 6.8 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 151K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
151K
Best context
50.7% at 1600-1799 Bullet
Worst context
42.9% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
93.2%
Draws
6.8%

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 · 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 holds about the same all the way up, near 44.9%.

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: 47.1% expected score (168 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (219 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (110 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (467 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (698 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 45.2% expected score (370 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 86.4% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (1,019 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.5% expected score (1,383 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 46.9% expected score (713 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 52.1% expected score (23 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (1,750 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (2,518 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 46.6% expected score (1,121 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 42.7% expected score (67 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 54.7% expected score (20 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (3,877 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (5,124 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.1% expected score (1,704 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 42.1% expected score (130 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 44.9% expected score (37 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (8,128 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (11,249 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (2,590 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.6% expected score (218 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 43.4% expected score (36 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.4% expected score (15,955 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (19,066 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 48.4% expected score (2,537 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 45.7% expected score (170 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 34.2% expected score (49 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (33,882 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.7% expected score (18,234 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 44.3% expected score (1,729 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 43.3% expected score (73 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.7% expected score (13,097 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.9% expected score (2,642 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 38.5% expected score (133 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 37.0% expected score (10 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%
Analyze Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line scores 47.2% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.0% and 47.4% — from 151K 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
151K+ 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: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate?

Playing the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line, Black wins 43.8%, draws 6.8% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.2%. It rests on 151K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line perform best?

The Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 49.3% (22K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 47.4% in Blitz (61K games) against 47.6% in Rapid (11K games).

How sharp is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line?

The Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line has a sharpness score of 93.2 (decisive), meaning 93.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 47.7%, draws 3.3% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 498 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.4%, draws 2.7% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.8%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.5%, draws 3.4% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 3.1K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 46.4%, draws 4.0% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 5.5K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 47.1%, draws 4.5% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 46.4%, draws 5.8% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 44.5%, draws 6.9% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 38K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.5%, draws 7.5% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 54K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 39.0%, draws 9.1% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.6%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 41.1%, draws 4.9% and loses 54.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.6%. It rests on 153 Lichess games.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 44.3%, draws 5.4% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 78K Lichess games.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 43.3%, draws 8.2% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 61K Lichess games.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 43.3%, draws 8.5% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 11K Lichess games.

What is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 41.1%, draws 10.1% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 695 Lichess games.

Is the Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line a good opening?

The Slav Defense: Exchange Variation, Symmetrical Line is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 43.8% of its games and loses 49.4%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.