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English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation

61K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.8%

40%55%
Floor47.5%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 48.1%.

Measured over 61K 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 5.8 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 61K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
61K
Best context
51.0% at 1200-1399 Bullet
Worst context
43.8% at 2500+ Blitz
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
94.2%
Draws
5.8%

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: 48.9% at 0-999, 42.8% 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: 52.2% expected score (136 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 46.6% expected score (191 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 48.0% expected score (47 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (296 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.8% expected score (513 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 37.1% expected score (200 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (597 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (1,022 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.7% expected score (395 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 43.1% expected score (13 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.2% expected score (1,031 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.3% expected score (1,735 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.1% expected score (635 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.4% expected score (43 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 45.5% expected score (1,449 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (2,438 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (850 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.8% expected score (64 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 76.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.0% expected score (2,155 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (5,313 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (1,117 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 46.8% expected score (107 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.0% expected score (4,239 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (10,431 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 48.0% expected score (1,240 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 49.1% expected score (54 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (7,429 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.5% expected score (11,912 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 46.2% expected score (802 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 31.1% expected score (17 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (3,649 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 43.8% expected score (1,217 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 43.7% expected score (30 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 35.7% expected score (2 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, Taimanov Variation 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, Taimanov Variation scores 47.8% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.5% and 48.1% — from 61K 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
61K+ 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, Taimanov Variation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation, Black wins 44.9%, draws 5.8% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.8%. It rests on 61K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation perform best?

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 49.2% (16K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 48.1% in Blitz (35K games) against 47.7% in Rapid (5.3K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation?

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation has a sharpness score of 94.2 (decisive), meaning 94.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 46.7%, draws 4.1% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 374 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 43.5%, draws 3.3% and loses 53.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.2%. It rests on 1.0K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 47.4%, 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 2.0K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.2%, draws 3.6% and loses 51.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 3.4K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.4%, draws 4.1% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 4.8K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 46.4%, draws 4.9% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 8.7K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.1%, draws 6.1% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.3%, draws 6.8% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 20K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 43.0%, draws 7.5% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 4.9K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 45.0%, draws 4.6% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 21K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 44.9%, draws 6.4% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 35K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 44.2%, draws 6.9% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 5.3K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 43.7%, draws 7.4% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 304 Lichess games.

Is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation a good opening?

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.9% of its games and loses 49.3%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.