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English Opening: Symmetrical Variation

3.3M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

47.3%

40%55%
Floor47.2%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 3.3M 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 4.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 3.3M games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
3.3M
Best context
51.1% at 0-999 Bullet
Worst context
41.3% at 2000-2199 Classical
Average game length
36 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 · 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: 51.1% at 0-999, 42.5% 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: 55.4% expected score (166 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (20,348 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (36,311 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 48.3% expected score (15,468 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 51.2% expected score (249 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 48.3% expected score (461 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.4% expected score (39,219 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (62,510 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (20,843 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.3% expected score (584 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.5% expected score (1,004 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (83,087 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (120,155 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.0% expected score (36,463 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 46.8% expected score (1,612 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 48.9% expected score (1,938 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.1% expected score (145,470 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 48.4% expected score (213,648 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.6% expected score (59,530 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 48.3% expected score (4,000 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 47.5% expected score (2,535 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (213,832 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (311,531 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (87,380 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.9% expected score (5,525 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 46.8% expected score (1,211 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.7% expected score (267,783 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.4% expected score (369,731 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.5% expected score (82,735 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 46.6% expected score (4,238 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 45.7% expected score (945 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.3% expected score (277,277 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.2% expected score (285,451 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 45.5% expected score (44,118 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 41.3% expected score (1,242 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 35.9% expected score (130 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (254,215 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 44.4% expected score (158,246 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.6% expected score (14,410 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 44.2% expected score (282 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.4% expected score (70,708 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.8% expected score (18,540 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 43.4% expected score (705 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 40.4% expected score (66 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: Great Snake Variation
49.6%
Continuations (10)
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variation
51.3%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights Variation
50.6%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation
48.4%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation
52.4%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation
51.9%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann Defense
48.3%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation
50.6%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation
51.1%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights Variation
49.7%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights, Fianchetto Variation
48.3%
Analyze English Opening: Symmetrical Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation scores 47.3% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.2% and 47.3% — from 3.3M 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
3.3M+ 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: Symmetrical Variation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Black wins 45.0%, draws 4.4% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 3.3M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation perform best?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 49.6% (73K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 47.2% in Blitz (1.6M games) against 47.0% in Rapid (362K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation has a sharpness score of 95.6 (very decisive), meaning 95.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 47.4%, draws 4.4% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 73K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 124K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical 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 242K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 46.5%, draws 3.3% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 425K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 46.1%, draws 3.9% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 621K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 45.2%, draws 4.5% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 726K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 44.1%, draws 5.0% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.6%. It rests on 609K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.6%, draws 5.9% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.6%. It rests on 427K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 39.4%, draws 7.7% and loses 52.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.3%. It rests on 90K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 47.0%, draws 1.9% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 8.4K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 45.8%, 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 1.4M Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 44.6%, draws 5.1% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.2%. It rests on 1.6M Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 44.1%, draws 5.8% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 362K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 43.5%, draws 7.3% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 18K Lichess games.

Is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation a good opening?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 45.0% of its games and loses 50.5%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.