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English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation

278K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

46.7%

40%55%
Floor46.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 46.9%.

Measured over 278K 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 5.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 278K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
278K
Best context
49.2% at 1200-1399 Rapid
Worst context
44.0% at 2500+ Bullet
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 · 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 holds about the same all the way up, near 40.5%.

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: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (660 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (612 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 42.0% expected score (230 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (1,990 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (2,084 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (673 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 45.3% expected score (9 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 56.5% expected score (14 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 46.8% expected score (4,623 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (6,174 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (1,678 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 51.9% expected score (52 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 34.9% expected score (15 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.9% expected score (8,683 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 47.6% expected score (13,580 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (3,268 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 42.8% expected score (137 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 57.5% expected score (12 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 45.7% expected score (15,132 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.8% expected score (24,896 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.9% expected score (6,249 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.7% expected score (329 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.3% expected score (18,226 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.1% expected score (34,724 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.0% expected score (7,800 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 46.6% expected score (461 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.2% expected score (20,254 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.8% expected score (34,189 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 47.8% expected score (5,469 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 40.4% expected score (202 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.3% expected score (22,399 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.9% expected score (27,112 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 44.2% expected score (2,244 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 47.3% expected score (53 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 44.0% expected score (9,726 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 44.2% expected score (3,529 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 43.1% expected score (114 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 30.0% 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, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation scores 46.7% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 46.6% and 46.9% — from 278K 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
278K+ 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, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation win rate?

Playing the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation, Black wins 44.0%, draws 5.5% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 278K rated games from Lichess.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation performs best for Black at 1200-1399, with an Expected Score of 47.6% (13K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 46.9% in Blitz (147K games) against 47.9% in Rapid (28K games).

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-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, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 44.6%, draws 3.1% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 46.3%, draws 3.1% and loses 50.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 4.8K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.0%, draws 3.2% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.5%, draws 3.7% and loses 50.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.0%, draws 4.5% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.3%. It rests on 47K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 44.3%, draws 5.3% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 61K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.6%, draws 6.1% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 60K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.5%, draws 7.0% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 52K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

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

At 2500+, Black wins 40.2%, draws 7.6% and loses 52.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.0%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 44.1%, draws 4.0% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 102K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 43.8%, draws 6.2% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 147K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 44.4%, draws 7.1% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 28K Lichess games.

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

In Classical, Black wins 41.6%, draws 9.5% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games.

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

The English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.0% of its games and loses 50.6%. It performs best at 1200-1399. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.