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English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation

568K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.6%

45%60%
Floor54.5%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.7%.

Measured over 568K 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 4.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 568K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
568K
Best context
61.1% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Worst context
53.4% at 1600-1799 Blitz
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
95.6%
Draws
4.4%

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: 57.8% at 0-999, 63.6% 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: 47.1% expected score (32 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 53.9% expected score (3,118 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 55.2% expected score (3,318 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 56.5% expected score (990 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 76.3% expected score (8 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 57.8% expected score (76 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (7,652 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 56.0% expected score (8,436 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 57.3% expected score (2,397 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 60.8% expected score (31 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 55.5% expected score (107 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 54.5% expected score (16,527 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 54.1% expected score (19,888 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.0% expected score (5,489 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 59.8% expected score (208 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 55.9% expected score (135 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.6% expected score (27,958 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.5% expected score (39,107 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 54.9% expected score (10,050 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 56.4% expected score (489 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 56.0% expected score (116 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 54.0% expected score (42,040 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.4% expected score (62,980 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.8% expected score (15,809 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 55.8% expected score (921 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 46.8% expected score (30 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 54.3% expected score (49,503 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.9% expected score (77,759 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (16,271 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 57.4% expected score (810 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 55.0% expected score (45,117 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 55.1% expected score (49,262 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 56.8% expected score (8,108 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 56.5% expected score (222 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (30,089 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 57.0% expected score (15,877 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 61.1% expected score (1,666 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 51.9% expected score (25 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 58.0% expected score (4,748 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 60.0% expected score (504 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 72.9% expected score (16 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, Two Knights, 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, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation scores 54.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 54.5% and 54.7% — from 568K 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
568K+ 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, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation, White wins 52.4%, draws 4.4% and loses 43.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 568K rated games from Lichess.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 58.2% (5.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For White, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 54.4% in Blitz (277K games) against 55.0% in Rapid (61K games).

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation has a sharpness score of 95.6 (very decisive), meaning 95.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 53.4%, draws 2.8% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.8%. It rests on 7.5K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 54.3%, draws 2.7% and loses 43.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.7%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 52.9%, draws 3.0% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 42K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.9%, draws 3.4% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 78K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 51.6%, draws 4.1% and loses 44.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 122K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 51.7%, draws 4.8% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 144K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 52.6%, draws 5.1% and loses 42.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.2%. It rests on 103K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 53.5%, draws 5.5% and loses 41.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.3%. It rests on 48K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2500+, White wins 54.9%, draws 6.6% and loses 38.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.2%. It rests on 5.3K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

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

In UltraBullet, White wins 54.0%, draws 1.5% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.8%. It rests on 505 Lichess games.

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

In Bullet, White wins 53.0%, draws 3.2% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.7%. It rests on 227K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, White wins 51.9%, draws 5.0% and loses 43.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 277K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, White wins 52.1%, draws 5.7% and loses 42.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.0%. It rests on 61K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, White wins 53.5%, draws 6.6% and loses 39.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.9%. It rests on 2.7K Lichess games.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 52.4% of its games and loses 43.3%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.