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English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation

12K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

No move sequence recorded for this opening

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

53.4%

45%60%
Floor52.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.1%.

Measured over 12K 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 5.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 12K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
12K
Best context
57.0% at 1400-1599 Blitz
Worst context
50.4% at 1600-1799 Blitz
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
94.5%
Draws
5.5%

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 falls away as the rating rises: 65.6% at 0-999, 53.3% 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: 71.3% expected score (22 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 69.5% expected score (19 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 55.9% expected score (7 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 59.1% expected score (81 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 54.5% expected score (65 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 33.9% expected score (14 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (206 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 54.9% expected score (246 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.3% expected score (63 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (380 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 57.0% expected score (548 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 54.1% expected score (133 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 44.7% expected score (8 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (706 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (1,120 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 54.7% expected score (235 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 63.1% expected score (10 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (910 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (1,637 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.8% expected score (342 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (27 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.2% expected score (817 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (1,537 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 53.8% expected score (238 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (8 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (950 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 56.4% expected score (1,337 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 60.2% expected score (116 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 40.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 58.0% expected score (374 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 52.0% expected score (150 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 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%

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 53.4% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.6% and 54.1% — from 12K 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
12K+ 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 before we will say where it stops working. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 53.4% (range, 90% confident: 52.6% – 54.1%) for White, based on 12K rated games from Lichess.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation performs best at 2200-2499, where it scores 55.5% for White (2.4K games). It tends to score less at higher ratings as opponents know the theory better.

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

For White, Blitz (53.5%) outperforms Classical (51.7%). Choose your time control wisely.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation has a sharpness score of 94.5 (decisive), meaning 94.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 55.0% (range, 90% confident: 48.5% – 61.4%) for White, based on 160 Lichess games. Average game length is 29 moves with a 2.8% draw rate.

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

At 1200-1399, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 52.5% (range, 90% confident: 48.9% – 56.1%) for White, based on 516 Lichess games. Average game length is 32 moves with a 4.0% draw rate.

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

At 1400-1599, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 55.1% (range, 90% confident: 52.6% – 57.6%) for White, based on 1.1K Lichess games. Average game length is 33 moves with a 2.9% draw rate.

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

At 1600-1799, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 51.0% (range, 90% confident: 49.2% – 52.8%) for White, based on 2.1K Lichess games. Average game length is 34 moves with a 4.2% draw rate.

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

At 1800-1999, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 52.8% (range, 90% confident: 51.3% – 54.3%) for White, based on 2.9K Lichess games. Average game length is 38 moves with a 6.0% draw rate.

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

At 2000-2199, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 52.4% (range, 90% confident: 50.8% – 54.0%) for White, based on 2.6K Lichess games. Average game length is 38 moves with a 6.7% draw rate.

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

At 2200-2499, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 55.5% (range, 90% confident: 53.9% – 57.2%) for White, based on 2.4K Lichess games. Average game length is 40 moves with a 6.7% draw rate.

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

At 2500+, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 56.3% (range, 90% confident: 52.7% – 59.8%) for White, based on 525 Lichess games. Average game length is 41 moves with a 4.8% draw rate.

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

In Bullet games, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 53.0% (range, 90% confident: 51.7% – 54.2%) for White (4.4K Lichess games). Draw rate is 3.9%.

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

In Blitz games, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 53.5% (range, 90% confident: 52.5% – 54.5%) for White (6.7K Lichess games). Draw rate is 6.1%.

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

In Rapid games, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation scores 54.5% (range, 90% confident: 52.1% – 56.9%) for White (1.1K Lichess games). Draw rate is 8.0%.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation is good for White with a 50.6% (range, 90% confident: 49.8% – 51.3%) win rate across all ratings. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.