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English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation

293K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.3%

45%60%
Floor54.2%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.5%.

Measured over 293K 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 4.8 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 293K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
293K
Best context
58.6% at 0-999 Rapid
Worst context
52.4% at 2000-2199 Rapid
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
95.2%
Draws
4.8%

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: 57.4% at 0-999, 60.5% 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: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 57.8% expected score (1,224 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 55.2% expected score (1,593 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 58.6% expected score (536 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 65.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 45.3% expected score (9 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (2,838 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 55.3% expected score (4,156 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (1,341 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 55.5% expected score (26 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 48.3% expected score (27 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 56.1% expected score (6,183 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 55.5% expected score (8,865 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.5% expected score (2,912 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 47.5% expected score (100 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 43.9% expected score (48 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 55.0% expected score (10,441 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.4% expected score (16,338 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 55.5% expected score (4,768 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 57.9% expected score (293 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 47.4% expected score (36 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 54.9% expected score (16,426 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 54.5% expected score (26,934 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 54.1% expected score (7,254 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 55.8% expected score (561 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 54.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (20,888 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.8% expected score (39,433 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.9% expected score (8,000 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.6% expected score (561 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 54.4% expected score (22,577 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (35,239 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (5,798 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 55.7% expected score (212 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.9% expected score (20,210 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.8% expected score (19,500 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 57.4% expected score (2,081 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 72.8% expected score (49 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (4,467 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.2% expected score (1,413 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (27 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 70.0% 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, Fianchetto Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation scores 54.3% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 54.2% and 54.5% — from 293K 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
293K+ 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, Fianchetto Variation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation, White wins 51.9%, draws 4.8% and loses 43.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 293K rated games from Lichess.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation performs best for White at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 56.7% (3.4K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For White, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 54.1% in Blitz (153K games) against 54.2% in Rapid (33K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation has a sharpness score of 95.2 (very decisive), meaning 95.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 55.3%, draws 2.8% and loses 41.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.7%. It rests on 3.4K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 53.8%, draws 2.7% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.2%. It rests on 8.4K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 54.1%, draws 3.1% and loses 42.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.7%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.9%, draws 3.6% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.7%. It rests on 32K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 52.5%, draws 4.1% and loses 43.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 51K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 51.5%, draws 4.9% and loses 43.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 69K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.7%, draws 5.5% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 64K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 51.4%, draws 6.2% and loses 42.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 42K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2500+, White wins 51.7%, draws 8.0% and loses 40.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.7%. It rests on 5.9K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

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

In UltraBullet, White wins 46.0%, draws 1.8% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 141 Lichess games.

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

In Bullet, White wins 53.0%, draws 3.5% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.8%. It rests on 105K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, White wins 51.4%, draws 5.4% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 153K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, White wins 51.2%, draws 5.9% and loses 42.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.2%. It rests on 33K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, White wins 51.6%, draws 7.7% and loses 40.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.5%. It rests on 1.8K Lichess games.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.9% of its games and loses 43.3%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.