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English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line

39K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

45.7%

40%55%
Floor45.3%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 46.1%.

Measured over 39K 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 4.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 39K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
39K
Best context
48.7% at 1200-1399 Bullet
Worst context
40.8% at 2200-2499 Blitz
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
95.3%
Draws
4.7%

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: 49.4% at 0-999, 45.9% 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: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (248 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (336 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.5% expected score (114 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 80.8% expected score (5 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 41.7% expected score (552 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.3% expected score (950 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 43.9% expected score (402 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 41.3% expected score (10 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 63.4% expected score (6 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.7% expected score (1,074 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.1% expected score (2,015 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (870 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 48.1% expected score (25 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 67.7% expected score (7 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 43.9% expected score (1,556 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 46.6% expected score (3,364 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 45.4% expected score (1,293 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 46.6% expected score (70 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.3% expected score (1,877 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 45.6% expected score (4,863 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.4% expected score (1,707 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.2% expected score (120 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (1,735 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 45.6% expected score (5,228 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (1,687 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 47.1% expected score (100 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 45.6% expected score (1,169 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 42.9% expected score (3,516 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 44.4% expected score (994 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 48.5% expected score (31 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 44.5% expected score (784 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 40.8% expected score (1,415 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.3% expected score (259 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 35.7% expected score (2 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (175 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 35.7% expected score (65 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 55.9% expected score (7 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, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto 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, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line scores 45.7% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 45.3% and 46.1% — from 39K 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
39K+ 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, Fianchetto Line win rate?

Playing the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, Black wins 43.3%, draws 4.7% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.7%. It rests on 39K rated games from Lichess.

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

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line performs best for Black at 1200-1399, with an Expected Score of 47.6% (4.0K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 45.3% in Blitz (22K games) against 46.8% in Rapid (7.3K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line?

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line has a sharpness score of 95.3 (very decisive), meaning 95.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

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

At 0-999, Black wins 46.7%, draws 3.8% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 700 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 43.8%, draws 3.4% and loses 52.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 1.9K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 45.9%, draws 3.3% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 4.0K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 44.0%, draws 3.4% and loses 52.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.7%. It rests on 6.3K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 44.2%, draws 4.2% and loses 51.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 8.6K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 43.6%, draws 5.4% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 8.8K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 40.6%, draws 6.3% and loses 53.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.8%. It rests on 5.7K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 38.9%, draws 6.4% and loses 54.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.1%. It rests on 2.5K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 39.2%, draws 8.7% and loses 52.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.6%. It rests on 247 Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 43.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 52.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.7%. It rests on 9.2K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 42.9%, draws 4.7% and loses 52.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.3%. It rests on 22K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 43.9%, draws 5.8% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 7.3K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 43.8%, draws 6.0% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 358 Lichess games.

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

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 43.3% of its games and loses 52.0%. It performs best at 1200-1399. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.