English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense
857K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
47.3%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 47.4%.
Measured over 857K games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 4.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 857K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 857K
- Best context
- 48.9% at 1400-1599 Classical
- Worst context
- 42.1% at 2200-2499 Rapid
- Average game length
- 35 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 95.8%
- Draws
- 4.2%
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: 49.2% at 0-999, 40.8% 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: 56.5% expected score (37 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (3,647 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (5,965 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 45.5% expected score (2,216 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 48.5% expected score (30 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 47.4% expected score (112 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (8,772 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.1% expected score (11,514 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 44.6% expected score (3,372 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 52.1% expected score (71 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 47.9% expected score (165 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (18,322 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (24,667 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 46.1% expected score (6,394 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.5% expected score (216 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 46.7% expected score (283 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (33,906 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (49,607 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 46.7% expected score (11,054 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 49.0% expected score (656 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 44.7% expected score (303 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (57,911 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (87,093 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.6% expected score (18,556 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.9% expected score (1,120 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 52.8% expected score (146 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (75,119 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (119,933 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.8% expected score (21,930 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 47.4% expected score (1,101 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.7% expected score (78 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (74,495 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.7% expected score (91,766 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (13,870 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 45.0% expected score (429 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 55.7% expected score (16 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.4% expected score (53,516 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 44.8% expected score (41,797 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.1% expected score (4,257 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 41.4% expected score (68 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.3% expected score (9,507 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 43.3% expected score (3,055 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 37.4% expected score (109 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.3% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.2% and 47.4% — from 857K 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
- 857K+ 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 before we will say where it stops working. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate?
The English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.3% (range, 90% confident: 47.2% – 47.4%) for Black, based on 857K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense perform best?
The English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense performs best at 1800-1999, where it scores 47.9% for Black (218K games). It tends to score less at higher ratings as opponents know the theory better.
Is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, Bullet (47.7%) outperforms UltraBullet (47.9%). Choose your time control wisely.
How sharp is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense?
The English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense has a sharpness score of 95.8 (very decisive), meaning 95.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.4% (range, 90% confident: 46.6% – 48.1%) for Black, based on 12K Lichess games. Average game length is 27 moves with a 4.0% draw rate.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 46.9% (range, 90% confident: 46.3% – 47.4%) for Black, based on 24K Lichess games. Average game length is 29 moves with a 2.5% draw rate.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.1% (range, 90% confident: 46.8% – 47.5%) for Black, based on 50K Lichess games. Average game length is 31 moves with a 2.7% draw rate.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.7% (range, 90% confident: 47.4% – 47.9%) for Black, based on 96K Lichess games. Average game length is 32 moves with a 3.0% draw rate.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.9% (range, 90% confident: 47.7% – 48.1%) for Black, based on 165K Lichess games. Average game length is 34 moves with a 3.6% draw rate.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.9% (range, 90% confident: 47.8% – 48.1%) for Black, based on 218K Lichess games. Average game length is 36 moves with a 4.3% draw rate.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.2% (range, 90% confident: 47.0% – 47.4%) for Black, based on 181K Lichess games. Average game length is 37 moves with a 4.8% draw rate.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 45.6% (range, 90% confident: 45.3% – 45.8%) for Black, based on 100K Lichess games. Average game length is 38 moves with a 5.7% draw rate.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 43.2% (range, 90% confident: 42.5% – 44.0%) for Black, based on 13K Lichess games. Average game length is 42 moves with a 6.9% draw rate.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet games, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.9% (range, 90% confident: 45.5% – 50.4%) for Black (1.1K Lichess games). Draw rate is 1.1%.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet games, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.7% (range, 90% confident: 47.6% – 47.9%) for Black (335K Lichess games). Draw rate is 3.1%.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz games, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.0% (range, 90% confident: 46.9% – 47.2%) for Black (435K Lichess games). Draw rate is 4.8%.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid games, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 46.9% (range, 90% confident: 46.6% – 47.2%) for Black (82K Lichess games). Draw rate is 5.5%.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense win rate in Classical?
In Classical games, the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense scores 47.7% (range, 90% confident: 46.3% – 49.0%) for Black (3.7K Lichess games). Draw rate is 6.8%.
Is the English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense a good opening?
The English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White with a 50.6% (range, 90% confident: 50.5% – 50.7%) win rate across all ratings. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.