English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense
4.9M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
46.3%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.
Measured over 4.9M games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 3.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 4.9M games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 4.9M
- Best context
- 50.0% at 0-999 Rapid
- Worst context
- 38.3% at 1800-1999 Classical
- Average game length
- 34 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 96.5%
- Draws
- 3.5%
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.
Extra Analysis
Deep-dive datasets for this opening
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: 49.7% at 0-999, 43.3% 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: 47.0% expected score (596 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (55,139 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.6% expected score (98,461 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (35,719 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 53.5% expected score (303 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 46.0% expected score (2,555 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (115,312 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 46.0% expected score (166,770 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 45.5% expected score (62,347 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 49.4% expected score (1,233 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 49.7% expected score (2,964 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 46.9% expected score (213,836 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 46.1% expected score (265,774 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 44.5% expected score (87,610 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 44.6% expected score (3,344 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 47.3% expected score (6,304 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.2% expected score (359,959 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 46.1% expected score (375,114 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 44.3% expected score (99,984 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 42.0% expected score (5,989 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 48.1% expected score (7,563 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (520,165 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 46.1% expected score (424,162 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 44.1% expected score (94,293 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 40.8% expected score (4,174 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 45.6% expected score (3,694 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (581,777 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 45.6% expected score (346,940 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 43.2% expected score (54,467 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 38.3% expected score (1,886 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 45.2% expected score (3,355 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (455,759 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 44.6% expected score (133,595 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 41.4% expected score (14,548 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 31.8% expected score (360 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 39.6% expected score (450 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 45.9% expected score (261,274 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 42.5% expected score (28,542 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 40.4% expected score (1,952 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 40.2% expected score (24 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 42.1% expected score (30 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.3% expected score (38,471 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 43.9% expected score (1,634 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 43.9% expected score (31 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense scores 46.3% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 46.2% and 46.3% — from 4.9M 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
- 4.9M+ 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-Scandinavian Defense win rate?
Playing the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense, Black wins 44.5%, draws 3.5% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 4.9M rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense perform best?
The English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 49.1% (190K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 45.9% in Blitz (1.8M games) against 44.7% in Rapid (451K games).
How sharp is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense?
The English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense has a sharpness score of 96.5 (very decisive), meaning 96.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 47.3%, draws 3.6% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 190K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 44.7%, draws 3.0% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 348K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 44.6%, draws 3.0% and loses 52.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 574K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 44.8%, draws 3.1% and loses 52.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 847K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 44.6%, draws 3.4% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 1.1M Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 44.2%, draws 3.8% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 989K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 44.0%, draws 4.0% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 608K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.3%, 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 292K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 40.3%, draws 6.0% and loses 53.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.3%. It rests on 40K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 46.0%, draws 2.0% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 28K Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 45.3%, draws 2.8% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 2.6M Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 43.8%, draws 4.3% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.9%. It rests on 1.8M Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 42.3%, draws 4.7% and loses 53.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.7%. It rests on 451K Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 39.8%, draws 5.0% and loses 55.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.3%. It rests on 17K Lichess games.
Is the English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense a good opening?
The English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.5% of its games and loses 52.0%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.