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English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line

322K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

53.8%

45%60%
Floor53.7%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.0%.

Measured over 322K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 4.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 322K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
322K
Best context
57.6% at 1800-1999 Classical
Worst context
50.8% at 0-999 Rapid
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
95.6%
Draws
4.4%

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 · White score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 53.4% at 0-999, 48.9% 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: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (2,682 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (3,774 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.8% expected score (1,495 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 54.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 41.9% expected score (17 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (6,356 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.2% expected score (9,450 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 53.8% expected score (3,130 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 61.8% expected score (58 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 59.3% expected score (36 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 54.2% expected score (11,516 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.4% expected score (17,827 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.2% expected score (6,176 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 56.5% expected score (169 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 56.8% expected score (102 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 53.8% expected score (16,221 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (24,467 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 53.4% expected score (8,512 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 59.7% expected score (354 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 61.9% expected score (95 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (17,201 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 54.2% expected score (27,929 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.3% expected score (9,730 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 56.4% expected score (727 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 45.3% expected score (9 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (20,200 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (28,043 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (8,458 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 57.6% expected score (739 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 68.6% expected score (20 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (15,890 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (25,215 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 53.9% expected score (5,319 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 53.7% expected score (232 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (15,957 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 55.8% expected score (20,490 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.9% expected score (2,187 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 60.2% expected score (102 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 56.2% expected score (6,871 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.8% expected score (3,481 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 60.9% expected score (229 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 40.5% expected score (82 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: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line scores 53.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.7% and 54.0% — from 322K 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
322K+ 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, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate?

Playing the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line, White wins 51.6%, draws 4.4% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 322K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line perform best?

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 56.4% (11K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 53.9% in Blitz (161K games) against 53.5% in Rapid (45K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line?

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line has a sharpness score of 95.6 (very decisive), meaning 95.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 50.2%, draws 2.8% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 8.0K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 51.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 52.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 36K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.1%, draws 3.2% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 50K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 52.0%, draws 3.7% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 56K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 51.5%, draws 4.1% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 57K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.9%, draws 5.3% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 47K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 51.8%, draws 6.2% and loses 42.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.9%. It rests on 39K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 50.2%, draws 12.4% and loses 37.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.4%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 57.3%, draws 2.6% and loses 40.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.6%. It rests on 291 Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 113K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 51.4%, draws 5.0% and loses 43.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 161K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.8%, draws 5.3% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 45K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 52.1%, draws 9.3% and loses 38.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.8%. It rests on 2.5K Lichess games.

Is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line a good opening?

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.6% of its games and loses 44.0%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.