Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation
3.0M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
48.0%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.
Measured over 3.0M games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 4.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 3.0M games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 3.0M
- Best context
- 56.0% at 0-999 UltraBullet
- Worst context
- 38.4% at 2500+ UltraBullet
- Average game length
- 37 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 95.9%
- Draws
- 4.1%
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 falls away as the rating rises: 52.6% at 0-999, 42.3% at 2500+.
| Rating | UB | Bulle | Blitz | Rapid | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: 56.0% expected score (553 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (28,039 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (57,704 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.7% expected score (22,424 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 54.4% expected score (227 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 52.4% expected score (2,739 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (47,964 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.6% expected score (81,696 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (28,712 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 49.5% expected score (758 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 49.5% expected score (6,949 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (84,978 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.4% expected score (118,097 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.3% expected score (41,956 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 48.6% expected score (1,764 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 47.7% expected score (17,419 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (128,595 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 48.6% expected score (166,572 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (53,621 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 49.4% expected score (3,719 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 46.5% expected score (27,359 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (170,887 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (197,773 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.7% expected score (55,378 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 45.5% expected score (3,465 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 46.7% expected score (25,829 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (237,352 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.6% expected score (204,274 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (42,735 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 44.9% expected score (1,738 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 47.6% expected score (13,515 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.4% expected score (273,207 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (182,900 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.2% expected score (18,848 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 36.6% expected score (478 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 43.7% expected score (5,941 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.3% expected score (355,709 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.0% expected score (93,989 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.3% expected score (5,136 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 39.0% expected score (76 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 38.4% expected score (958 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 44.6% expected score (138,865 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 40.1% expected score (8,590 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 38.3% expected score (118 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation scores 48.0% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.0% and 48.1% — from 3.0M 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
- 3.0M+ 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 Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate?
Playing the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation, Black wins 45.9%, draws 4.1% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 3.0M rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation perform best?
The Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 50.7% (109K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 48.1% in Blitz (1.1M games) against 47.6% in Rapid (269K games).
How sharp is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation?
The Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation has a sharpness score of 95.9 (very decisive), meaning 95.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 48.6%, draws 4.1% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 109K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.5%, draws 3.4% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 162K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.9%, draws 3.3% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 254K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 46.9%, draws 3.4% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 370K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 46.7%, draws 3.8% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 455K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 46.5%, draws 4.0% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 512K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 45.7%, draws 4.4% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 489K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.2%, draws 5.0% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 461K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 41.3%, draws 5.9% and loses 52.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.3%. It rests on 149K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 45.7%, draws 2.6% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 101K Lichess games.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 46.3%, draws 3.6% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 1.5M Lichess games.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 45.7%, draws 4.8% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 1.1M Lichess games.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 45.0%, draws 5.2% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 269K Lichess games.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation win rate in Classical?
In Classical, 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 12K Lichess games.
Is the Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation a good opening?
The Zukertort Opening: Pirc Invitation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 45.9% of its games and loses 49.9%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.