Italian Game win rate
White scored 52.0% (margin 0.3 points) in 81,584 rated games of the Italian Game, ECO C50, played between players within 100 rating points on 1 September 2026. It ranked number 6 of 117 openings by popularity and made up 5.0% of all games.
- White wins 50.1%
- Draws 3.8%
- Black wins 46.1%
81,584 games
How often does White win in the Italian Game?
White won 50.1% of the 81,584 games, 3.8% were drawn and Black won 46.1%. White's score of 52.0% is no clear difference from White's score across all openings (51.9%): the gap of 0.1 points is inside the margin of 0.3 points.
| Result | Games | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White wins | 40,862 | 50.1% |
| Draws | 3,080 | 3.8% |
| Black wins | 37,642 | 46.1% |
Does the Italian Game score differently at different ratings?
White's score is highest at under 1200 (53.1%) and lowest at 2000 and above (50.5%). That spread of 2.6 points is larger than the two margins added together, so the score does differ between these rating bands.
Players rated under 1200 choose the Italian Game most often relative to their other openings, in 6.4 percent of their games.
| Rating band | Games | Share of the band | White score | Margin (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| under 1200 | 17,493 | 6.4% | 53.1% | 0.7 |
| 1200 to 1599 | 35,158 | 6.0% | 51.9% | 0.5 |
| 1600 to 1999 | 25,018 | 4.1% | 51.6% | 0.6 |
| 2000 and above | 3,915 | 2.5% | 50.5% | 1.5 |
How does the Italian Game do in blitz, rapid and classical?
The time control changes who tends to win, because the clock matters more in faster games. Rows with fewer than 1,500 games are left out.
| Time control | Games | White score | Margin (points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz | 52,225 | 52.0% | 0.4 |
| Rapid | 28,495 | 51.9% | 0.6 |
What are the most played lines of the Italian Game?
The most played named line is the Anti-Fried Liver Defense, with 11,137 games and a White score of 52.7%. The table lists the ten most played lines that reached 300 games; a line below that is counted in the last row.
| Line | Games | White score | Margin (points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anti-Fried Liver Defense | 11,137 | 52.7% | 0.9 |
| Paris Defense | 6,856 | 51.3% | 1.2 |
| Giuoco Piano | 6,512 | 48.9% | 1.2 |
| Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening | 5,258 | 52.3% | 1.3 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal | 4,684 | 51.4% | 1.4 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo | 3,892 | 49.7% | 1.5 |
| Giuoco Pianissimo, Italian Four Knights Variation | 3,753 | 53.6% | 1.6 |
| Two Knights Defense | 3,501 | 46.0% | 1.6 |
| Classical Variation, Giuoco Pianissimo | 2,940 | 51.7% | 1.8 |
| Classical Variation | 2,930 | 54.8% | 1.8 |
| Main line and less played lines | 8,871 | 54.9% | 1.0 |
How were these opening statistics measured?
Rated Blitz, Rapid and Classical games on 1 September 2026 between players within 100 rating points, banded by the lower rating. A score is wins plus half the draws, with a 95 percent margin. The hub page explains the method in full.
Frequently asked questions
What is the win rate of the Italian Game?
White won 50.1%, drew 3.8% and lost 46.1% of 81,584 games, a White score of 52.0% with a margin of 0.3 points. These are games on Lichess on 1 September 2026.
Is the Italian Game good for White?
At these ratings White's score was no clear difference from White's score across all openings (51.9%): the gap of 0.1 points is inside the margin of 0.3 points. A difference of a point or two is small, and the side that picks an opening also picks which games reach it, so the number describes what happened at these ratings and is not a ruling on the opening.
What is the most popular line of the Italian Game?
The Anti-Fried Liver Defense was the most played named line, with 11,137 games, which is 13.7% of the games of the Italian Game.
Sources
Related guides and tools
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- English Opening win rate and statistics
- French Defense win rate and statistics
- Philidor Defense win rate and statistics
- Chess opening statistics for players rated under 1200
- Chess opening statistics for players rated 1200 to 1599
- Chess opening statistics for players rated 1600 to 1999
- Chess opening statistics for players rated 2000 and above
- Most popular chess openings and win rates
- Chess terms glossary
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Last updated 2026-10-22.
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