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English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation

126K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

46.1%

40%55%
Floor45.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 46.4%.

Measured over 126K 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 6.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 126K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
126K
Best context
48.2% at 1400-1599 Bullet
Worst context
42.8% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
93.9%
Draws
6.1%

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: 50.8% at 0-999, 48.2% at 2500+.

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: 48.5% expected score (156 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 44.4% expected score (210 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (57 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 64.3% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 41.7% expected score (395 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 43.3% expected score (605 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 38.8% expected score (163 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 55.9% expected score (7 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 45.8% expected score (1,273 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 44.9% expected score (1,721 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 42.6% expected score (405 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 46.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 42.6% expected score (12 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (2,524 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 45.5% expected score (4,287 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.1% expected score (1,123 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 41.9% expected score (54 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 46.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (4,265 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 46.5% expected score (8,199 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 44.6% expected score (1,958 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 53.4% expected score (146 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 39.5% expected score (8 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.9% expected score (6,686 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.1% expected score (12,986 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 46.4% expected score (2,990 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.3% expected score (183 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (30 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (9,342 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (18,777 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 44.6% expected score (2,675 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 43.2% expected score (138 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 32.8% expected score (13 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (12,836 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.1% expected score (19,488 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.8% expected score (1,681 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 36.8% expected score (40 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 44.5% expected score (7,157 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.8% expected score (3,645 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 40.4% expected score (170 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 43.3% expected score (6 games)

Related Openings

Parent
English Opening
50.4%
Variations (5)
English Opening: King's English Variation
51.0%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense
50.2%
English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense
52.0%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian
52.2%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation
50.5%
Analyze English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation scores 46.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 45.9% and 46.4% — from 126K 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
126K+ 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 English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation, Black wins 43.0%, draws 6.1% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 126K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation perform best?

The English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 47.0% (23K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 46.0% in Blitz (70K games) against 44.9% in Rapid (11K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation?

The English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation has a sharpness score of 93.9 (decisive), meaning 93.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 44.4%, draws 3.4% and loses 52.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 425 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 40.4%, draws 3.1% and loses 56.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.0%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 43.2%, draws 3.4% and loses 53.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.0%. It rests on 3.4K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 44.8%, draws 3.7% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 8.0K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 44.2%, draws 4.1% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, 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 23K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.6%, draws 6.2% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.0%, draws 7.4% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.7%. It rests on 34K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 39.5%, draws 8.8% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.9%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 44.2%, draws 4.6% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.5%. It rests on 45K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 42.6%, draws 6.8% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 70K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 41.1%, draws 7.6% and loses 51.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.9%. It rests on 11K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 41.9%, draws 11.3% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 580 Lichess games.

Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation a good opening?

The English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 43.0% of its games and loses 50.9%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.