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English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense

247K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

45.9%

40%55%
Floor45.7%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 46.1%.

Measured over 247K 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 4.0 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 247K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
247K
Best context
49.9% at 0-999 Rapid
Worst context
41.1% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
96.0%
Draws
4.0%

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: 56.5% at 0-999, 42.0% 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, UltraBullet: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (1,196 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (3,218 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.9% expected score (1,157 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 76.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 42.8% expected score (33 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.7% expected score (2,587 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 46.5% expected score (5,916 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 47.4% expected score (2,346 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 51.3% expected score (37 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 56.1% expected score (64 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (5,832 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 46.3% expected score (9,160 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 45.0% expected score (4,474 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 45.9% expected score (142 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 49.4% expected score (226 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.9% expected score (8,159 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (14,189 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 46.9% expected score (6,326 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 46.2% expected score (879 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 46.5% expected score (309 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (12,644 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (18,092 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 45.7% expected score (6,374 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 44.1% expected score (594 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 39.8% expected score (264 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.4% expected score (20,312 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (23,102 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 44.7% expected score (6,289 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 43.9% expected score (511 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 49.6% expected score (254 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 45.8% expected score (26,820 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 45.6% expected score (19,268 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 42.5% expected score (3,039 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 32.4% expected score (78 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 40.9% expected score (75 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 45.6% expected score (24,992 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 44.0% expected score (7,201 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 41.1% expected score (774 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 45.8% expected score (22 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 53.3% expected score (14 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 42.7% expected score (9,434 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 39.0% expected score (433 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 32.9% expected score (16 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%
Continuations (1)
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense, Exchange Variation
55.3%
Analyze English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense scores 45.9% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 45.7% and 46.1% — from 247K 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
247K+ 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, Scandinavian Defense win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense, Black wins 43.9%, draws 4.0% and loses 52.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.9%. It rests on 247K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense perform best?

The English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 49.1% (5.6K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 46.1% in Blitz (101K games) against 45.5% in Rapid (31K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense?

The English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense has a sharpness score of 96.0 (very decisive), meaning 96.0% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 47.5%, draws 3.3% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 5.6K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 45.6%, draws 2.7% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 44.7%, draws 2.9% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 20K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.0%, draws 3.3% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 30K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 44.4%, draws 3.8% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 38K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 44.1%, draws 4.1% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 50K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.2%, draws 4.4% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 49K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.7%, draws 4.9% and loses 52.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.2%. It rests on 33K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 39.6%, draws 5.9% and loses 54.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.6%. It rests on 9.9K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 45.2%, draws 2.3% and loses 52.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 44.2%, draws 3.4% and loses 52.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.9%. It rests on 112K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 43.8%, draws 4.5% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 101K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 43.1%, draws 4.8% and loses 52.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 31K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 41.9%, draws 5.8% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.8%. It rests on 2.3K Lichess games.

Is the English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense a good opening?

The English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 43.9% of its games and loses 52.1%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.