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English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation

609K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.2%

45%55%
Floor51.1%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.3%.

Measured over 609K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for White

Draw 5.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 609K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
609K
Best context
56.9% at 2500+ Blitz
Worst context
46.5% at 1800-1999 Classical
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
94.4%
Draws
5.6%

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 · White score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It gets better as the rating rises: 52.4% at 0-999, 54.5% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 52.8% expected score (683 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.3% expected score (1,063 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 51.2% expected score (334 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 62.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (2,086 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (3,302 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (961 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 39.7% expected score (13 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 56.9% expected score (35 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (5,222 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (7,964 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.9% expected score (2,389 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 45.9% expected score (71 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 44.3% expected score (148 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (10,337 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (15,316 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (5,171 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 41.5% expected score (322 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 48.7% expected score (314 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (21,917 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (31,179 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (8,110 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 48.2% expected score (575 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 48.0% expected score (221 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (39,813 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.1% expected score (64,645 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.7% expected score (10,965 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 46.5% expected score (732 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.9% expected score (100 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (63,312 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (102,769 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (10,650 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 52.7% expected score (355 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 34.5% expected score (21 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (87,633 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.3% expected score (71,401 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.9% expected score (5,426 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 68.6% expected score (90 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (27,301 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.9% expected score (5,757 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 63.4% expected score (197 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 40.9% expected score (4 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%
Continuations (2)
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann Defense
48.3%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Geller Variation
43.6%
Analyze English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation scores 51.2% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.1% and 51.3% — from 609K 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
609K+ 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, Anti-Benoni Variation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, White wins 48.4%, draws 5.6% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 609K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation perform best?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 54.1% (33K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 51.5% in Blitz (303K games) against 50.3% in Rapid (44K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation has a sharpness score of 94.4 (decisive), meaning 94.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 49.4%, draws 2.6% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 49.2%, draws 2.6% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 6.4K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 48.7%, draws 2.9% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 47.5%, draws 3.5% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 47.9%, draws 4.0% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 62K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 47.5%, draws 4.9% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 116K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 48.3%, draws 5.9% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 177K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.0%, draws 6.7% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 165K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 50.2%, draws 7.7% and loses 42.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 33K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 48.3%, draws 1.1% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 856 Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 48.9%, draws 4.2% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 258K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.2%, draws 6.5% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 303K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 46.8%, draws 6.9% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 44K Lichess games.

What is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 43.7%, draws 8.7% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 2.2K Lichess games.

Is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation a good opening?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.4% of its games and loses 46.1%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.