English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation
2.1M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
47.3%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.
Measured over 2.1M games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 4.0 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 2.1M games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 2.1M
- Best context
- 52.0% at 0-999 Rapid
- Worst context
- 42.6% 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: 55.0% at 0-999, 42.0% 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: 56.9% expected score (107 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (15,776 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (27,395 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (10,299 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 65.6% expected score (69 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 44.5% expected score (701 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (40,580 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (66,797 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.0% expected score (23,753 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 48.7% expected score (404 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 47.7% expected score (440 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (67,316 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (134,642 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (44,515 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 48.7% expected score (1,421 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 42.9% expected score (610 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (98,256 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (222,338 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.9% expected score (71,580 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 50.9% expected score (4,955 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 49.2% expected score (449 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (122,086 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (274,778 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.1% expected score (94,182 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 48.4% expected score (5,483 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 45.3% expected score (254 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (114,046 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 46.7% expected score (255,026 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (70,935 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 46.2% expected score (3,053 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (137 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (81,569 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.1% expected score (124,965 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (27,390 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 43.7% expected score (810 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 45.8% expected score (46 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.7% expected score (52,601 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.0% expected score (34,560 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.6% expected score (4,888 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (70 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 32.4% expected score (7 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (10,964 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 43.7% expected score (2,174 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (120 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 39.5% expected score (8 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation scores 47.3% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.2% and 47.3% — from 2.1M 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
- 2.1M+ 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, Two Knights Variation win rate?
Playing the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Black wins 45.2%, draws 4.0% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 2.1M rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation perform best?
The English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 50.9% (54K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 47.3% in Blitz (1.1M games) against 48.4% in Rapid (348K games).
How sharp is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation?
The English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation 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: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 49.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 54K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 47.2%, draws 3.0% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 132K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.3%, draws 3.2% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 248K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.8%, draws 3.4% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 398K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.1%, draws 3.9% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 497K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 44.5%, draws 4.5% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 443K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.8%, draws 5.0% and loses 51.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 235K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.1%, draws 5.4% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 92K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 39.2%, draws 14.4% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.5%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 45.6%, draws 1.2% and loses 53.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 2.8K Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 45.2%, draws 2.9% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 603K Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 45.1%, draws 4.3% and loses 50.6%. 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, Two Knights Variation win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 45.9%, draws 4.9% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 348K Lichess games.
What is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 45.6%, draws 5.9% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 16K Lichess games.
Is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation a good opening?
The English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 45.2% of its games and loses 50.7%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.