English Opening: King's English Variation
6.2M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
47.0%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.
Measured over 6.2M games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 4.1 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 6.2M games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 6.2M
- Best context
- 60.3% at 0-999 Classical
- Worst context
- 42.4% at 2000-2199 Classical
- Average game length
- 34 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 95.9%
- Draws
- 4.1%
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: 54.2% at 0-999, 42.5% 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: 56.1% expected score (466 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.9% expected score (71,893 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (144,072 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (70,240 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 60.3% expected score (940 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 52.3% expected score (1,691 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (126,039 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (254,382 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 48.1% expected score (102,090 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 53.2% expected score (2,475 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.8% expected score (3,798 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (221,214 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (439,878 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.7% expected score (163,078 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 47.8% expected score (6,250 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 46.0% expected score (4,063 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.8% expected score (309,384 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (608,052 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.1% expected score (229,702 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 47.0% expected score (13,995 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 45.9% expected score (4,006 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (355,320 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (649,135 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 46.7% expected score (253,761 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 45.5% expected score (14,309 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 44.6% expected score (1,289 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (329,459 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (555,578 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 46.1% expected score (168,205 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 44.2% expected score (8,624 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 45.1% expected score (903 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.8% expected score (241,011 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.0% expected score (316,427 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 45.6% expected score (64,251 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 42.4% expected score (2,314 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 48.5% expected score (130 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.0% expected score (168,694 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 44.9% expected score (155,772 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 43.5% expected score (16,202 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 41.3% expected score (405 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 28.3% expected score (10 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 46.0% expected score (60,481 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 44.7% expected score (27,168 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 45.7% expected score (2,734 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 47.7% expected score (697 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: King's English Variation scores 47.0% for Black — we are 90% confident it is 47.0% — from 6.2M 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
- 6.2M+ 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: King's English Variation win rate?
Playing the English Opening: King's English Variation, Black wins 44.9%, draws 4.1% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 6.2M rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the English Opening: King's English Variation perform best?
The English Opening: King's English Variation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 51.4% (288K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the English Opening: King's English Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the English Opening: King's English Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 47.0% in Blitz (3.2M games) against 47.3% in Rapid (1.1M games).
How sharp is the English Opening: King's English Variation?
The English Opening: King's English Variation has a sharpness score of 95.9 (very decisive), meaning 95.9% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 49.6%, draws 3.6% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 288K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 487K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 45.8%, draws 3.0% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 834K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.3%, draws 3.3% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 1.2M Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 44.9%, draws 3.6% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 1.3M Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 44.3%, draws 4.2% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 1.1M Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.9%, draws 4.8% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 625K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.6%, draws 5.5% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.4%. It rests on 341K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 30.2%, draws 30.8% and loses 39.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.6%. It rests on 91K Lichess games, which average 47 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 47.2%, draws 1.4% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 16K Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 45.1%, draws 3.4% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 1.9M Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 44.8%, draws 4.4% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 3.2M Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 44.9%, draws 4.8% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 1.1M Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 43.2%, draws 6.6% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.5%. It rests on 50K Lichess games.
Is the English Opening: King's English Variation a good opening?
The English Opening: King's English Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.9% of its games and loses 51.0%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.