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English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation

402K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.4%

40%55%
Floor47.3%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 47.6%.

Measured over 402K 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 4.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 402K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
402K
Best context
52.4% at 0-999 Bullet
Worst context
43.1% at 1600-1799 Classical
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
95.4%
Draws
4.6%

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: 52.5% at 0-999, 47.3% 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: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (1,586 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.7% expected score (2,620 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.6% expected score (861 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 88.5% expected score (5 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 46.9% expected score (3,945 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (7,692 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 47.3% expected score (2,899 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 58.0% expected score (30 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 44.2% expected score (7 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (7,890 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (18,254 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 48.0% expected score (7,270 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 52.4% expected score (229 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (22 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (11,911 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (33,849 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (13,523 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 49.2% expected score (774 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (16,897 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (51,946 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.4% expected score (20,342 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 43.1% expected score (1,347 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (16,851 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (62,357 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.3% expected score (21,524 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 47.4% expected score (1,276 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.0% expected score (13,105 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (38,471 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.5% expected score (11,645 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 46.8% expected score (447 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (9,602 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.5% expected score (15,595 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 44.5% expected score (2,640 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 37.2% expected score (61 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (3,102 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 47.8% expected score (1,455 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (164 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 41.8% expected score (23 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, Keres 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, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation scores 47.4% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.3% and 47.6% — from 402K 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
402K+ 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, Keres Variation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation, Black wins 45.1%, draws 4.6% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 402K rated games from Lichess.

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

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 50.7% (5.1K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 47.5% in Blitz (232K games) against 47.4% in Rapid (81K games).

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

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation has a sharpness score of 95.4 (very decisive), meaning 95.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

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

At 0-999, Black wins 49.4%, draws 2.5% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 5.1K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.0%, draws 3.0% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.4%, draws 3.1% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 34K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 60K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.1%, draws 4.0% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 91K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 45.1%, draws 4.9% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 102K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 44.3%, draws 5.4% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 64K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.8%, draws 6.5% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 28K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 41.0%, draws 15.6% and loses 43.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 4.7K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 45.7%, draws 3.2% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 85K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 45.1%, draws 4.7% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 232K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 44.7%, draws 5.3% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 81K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 42.7%, draws 7.5% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.5%. It rests on 4.2K Lichess games.

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

The English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 45.1% of its games and loses 50.3%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.