 More recent sources indicate that White scores approximately 54 to 56 percent . In 2005 , GM Jonathan Rowson wrote that " the conventional wisdom is that White begins the game with a small advantage and , holding all other factors constant , scores approximately 56 % to Black 's 44 % " . International Master ( IM ) John Watson wrote in 1998 that White had scored 56 % for most of the 20th century , but that this figure had recently slipped to 55 % . The website Chessgames.com holds regularly updated statistics on its games database . As of January 12 , 2015 , White had won 37 @.@ 50 % , 34 @.@ 90 % were drawn , and Black had won 27 @.@ 60 % out of 739 @,@ 769 games , resulting in a total White winning percentage of 54 @.@ 95 % . 
 More recent sources indicate that White scores approximately 54 to 56 percent . In 2005 , GM Jonathan Rowson wrote that " the conventional wisdom is that White <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>begins</mark></a> the game with a small advantage and , holding all other factors constant , scores approximately 56 % to Black <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>44 % " . International Master ( IM ) John Watson wrote in 1998 that White <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> scored 56 % for most of the 20th century , but that this figure <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>had</mark></a> recently slipped to 55 % . The website Chessgames.com <a href='uninflect' title='5'><mark>holds</mark></a> regularly updated statistics on its games database . As of January 12 , 2015 , White <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>had</mark></a> won 37 @.@ 50 % , 34 @.@ 90 % <a href='uninflect' title='7'><mark>were</mark></a> drawn , and Black <a href='been_done' title='8'><mark>had</mark></a> won 27 @.@ 60 % out of 739 @,@ 769 games , resulting in a total White winning percentage of 54 @.@ 95 % . 
More recent sources indicate that White scores approximately 54 to 56 percent . In 2005 , GM Jonathan Rowson wrote that " the conventional wisdom is dat White begin the game witt a small advantage and , holding all other factors constant , scores approximately 56 % to Black  44 % " . International Master ( IM ) John Watson wrote in 1998 that White done scored 56 % fa most of the 20th century , but that dis figure done recently slipped to 55 % . The website Chessgames.com hold regularly updated statistics on its games database . As of January 12 , 2015 , White done won 37 @.@ 50 % , 34 @.@ 90 % was drawn , and Black done won 27 @.@ 60 % out of 739 @,@ 769 games , resulting in a total White winnin percentage of 54 @.@ 95 % .