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English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System

171K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.6%

45%60%
Floor52.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.8%.

Measured over 171K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 6.0 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 171K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
171K
Best context
55.7% at 1600-1799 Bullet
Worst context
46.8% at 1200-1399 Rapid
Average game length
38 moves
Games that end decisively
94.0%
Draws
6.0%

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 · 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: 48.8% at 0-999, 53.9% 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, Bullet: 53.8% expected score (252 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (231 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 40.2% expected score (90 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (571 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (771 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 54.2% expected score (263 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (1,309 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.7% expected score (1,649 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (690 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 36.5% expected score (17 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.4% expected score (2,534 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (4,211 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (1,176 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 55.8% expected score (68 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (4,529 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (9,817 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (2,412 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 43.2% expected score (151 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (8,122 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (21,987 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 51.4% expected score (4,072 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.5% expected score (301 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (12,275 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (34,220 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.1% expected score (5,072 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 55.0% expected score (268 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (16,781 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (25,538 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (2,235 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 56.1% expected score (48 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (7,269 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 55.5% expected score (2,444 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 58.0% expected score (67 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 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: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System scores 52.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.4% and 52.8% — from 171K 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
171K+ 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, Botvinnik System win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System, White wins 49.6%, draws 6.0% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 171K rated games from Lichess.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System performs best for White at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 53.3% (17K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For White, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.4% in Blitz (101K games) against 51.6% in Rapid (16K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System has a sharpness score of 94.0 (decisive), meaning 94.0% of games end decisively. Average game length is 38 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 49.3%, draws 2.3% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 575 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 50.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 48.4%, draws 3.2% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 3.7K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 50.9%, draws 3.7% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 8.0K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 51.1%, draws 4.4% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 17K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 49.9%, draws 5.2% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 34K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 49.3%, draws 6.1% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 52K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.1%, draws 7.4% and loses 43.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 45K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

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

At 2500+, White wins 49.3%, draws 7.4% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 9.8K Lichess games, which average 43 moves.

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

In Bullet, White wins 51.1%, draws 4.4% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 54K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, White wins 49.1%, draws 6.6% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 101K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, White wins 48.1%, draws 6.9% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 16K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, White wins 46.1%, draws 10.8% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 857 Lichess games.

Is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System a good opening?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 49.6% of its games and loses 44.4%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.