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English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation

254K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

46.1%

40%55%
Floor46.0%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 46.3%.

Measured over 254K 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 5.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 254K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
254K
Best context
49.8% at 1800-1999 Classical
Worst context
41.7% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
94.3%
Draws
5.7%

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: 51.7% at 0-999, 37.1% 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 (8 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.3% expected score (826 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 45.6% expected score (1,300 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 44.4% expected score (632 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 71.1% expected score (8 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 35.2% expected score (12 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 44.6% expected score (2,045 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (2,959 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 42.8% expected score (1,127 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (35 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 39.7% expected score (13 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.6% expected score (4,058 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.3% expected score (6,801 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 44.2% expected score (2,365 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 40.9% expected score (92 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 53.4% expected score (28 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (6,711 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.1% expected score (12,957 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 46.3% expected score (4,152 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.8% expected score (273 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 62.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (10,411 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (21,321 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.7% expected score (6,923 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 48.0% expected score (702 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 57.9% expected score (24 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.7% expected score (15,610 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (32,487 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.7% expected score (8,450 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 49.8% expected score (749 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 62.8% expected score (22 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (17,762 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 45.3% expected score (33,040 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.7% expected score (6,320 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 34.9% expected score (305 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 44.8% expected score (17,433 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 43.6% expected score (23,542 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 41.7% expected score (2,972 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 48.0% expected score (74 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 42.0% expected score (5,524 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 42.4% expected score (3,698 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 35.6% expected score (303 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 28.5% expected score (24 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, Four Knights Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation scores 46.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 46.0% and 46.3% — from 254K 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
254K+ 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, Four Knights Variation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation, Black wins 43.2%, draws 5.7% and loses 51.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 254K rated games from Lichess.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 47.5% (57K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 46.0% in Blitz (138K games) against 46.3% in Rapid (33K games).

How sharp is the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation?

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation has a sharpness score of 94.3 (decisive), meaning 94.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

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

At 0-999, Black wins 44.0%, draws 3.8% and loses 52.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.9%. It rests on 2.8K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 43.7%, draws 3.5% and loses 52.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.4%. It rests on 6.2K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 45.7%, draws 3.3% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.0%, draws 3.8% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 24K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.1%, 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 39K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 44.8%, draws 5.3% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 57K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 42.8%, draws 6.0% and loses 51.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 57K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 40.1%, draws 7.6% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.9%. It rests on 44K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 35.5%, draws 12.8% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.9%. It rests on 9.5K Lichess games, which average 44 moves.

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

In UltraBullet, Black wins 53.0%, draws 0.4% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.2%. It rests on 122 Lichess games.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 44.2%, draws 3.9% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 80K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 42.9%, draws 6.3% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 138K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 42.6%, draws 7.3% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 33K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 41.3%, draws 9.6% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 2.3K Lichess games.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 43.2% of its games and loses 51.1%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.