English Opening

127 variations · 65M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

Key Finding

English Opening gives White a 52.8% expected score — a strong opening choice.

With a minimum advantage of 5.5%, this opening reliably outperforms the baseline 50% expected score.

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Rating
Time
White Expected Score0.0%Range (90% confident): 52.8% – 52.8%Aggregated from 127 variations
0%52.8%100%
Range (90% confident): 52.8% – 52.8%
ContextOverall · n=65M
Outcome Distribution
50.6%4.3%45.1%
Win
Draw
Loss
1.c4
English Opening
Variations127
Games (Context)65M
Avg Length35 moves
Draw Rate4.3%

What Should I Play?

Player-controlled continuations for White · Overall

Continuations show the most common variations from this opening. Higher expected scores indicate better statistical outcomes, but familiarity and playstyle matter too.

What is the English Opening expected score for White?

Snapshot

Overall, the English Opening family has a 52.8% expected score for White (we're 90% confident it's between 52.8% and 52.8%), aggregated from 127 variations and 65M Lichess games.

White Win% by Rating

Stable across ratings (~48%)

0
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
2200
2500+

  • 0-999: 48.1% win rate (1,684,425 games)
  • 1000-1199: 50.8% win rate (3,173,370 games)
  • 1200-1399: 51.0% win rate (5,846,246 games)
  • 1400-1599: 50.9% win rate (9,333,596 games)
  • 1600-1799: 50.6% win rate (12,536,088 games)
  • 1800-1999: 50.5% win rate (13,567,458 games)
  • 2000-2199: 50.6% win rate (10,467,401 games)
  • 2200-2499: 51.0% win rate (6,796,072 games)
  • 2500+: 50.0% win rate (1,463,595 games)

White Win% by Time Control

Similar across time controls (~51%)

UltraBullet
Bullet
Blitz
Rapid
Classical

  • UltraBullet: 50.1% win rate (236,337 games)
  • Bullet: 51.0% win rate (25,985,372 games)
  • Blitz: 50.5% win rate (30,621,095 games)
  • Rapid: 50.2% win rate (7,675,868 games)
  • Classical: 50.1% win rate (349,579 games)

Rating vs Time Control Matrix

Click cells to filter · White expected scores

White% by Rating × Time Control

Click any cell to filter. Green = above 50%, Red = below 50%.

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: 45.7% expected score (4,284 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (454,419 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (850,137 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.1% expected score (371,578 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 44.3% expected score (4,007 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.2% expected score (20,205 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (975,883 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (1,574,703 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (588,993 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.5% expected score (13,586 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 48.8% expected score (27,099 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (1,882,425 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (2,913,119 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.8% expected score (986,607 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 52.8% expected score (36,996 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (52,348 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (3,093,340 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (4,669,910 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (1,429,398 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.0% expected score (88,600 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 50.2% expected score (62,948 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (4,403,334 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (6,189,304 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.8% expected score (1,779,183 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 53.5% expected score (101,319 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 52.5% expected score (35,179 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (5,155,641 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (6,801,206 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (1,502,254 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 54.0% expected score (73,178 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 54.7% expected score (28,406 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (4,838,174 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.4% expected score (4,815,211 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 53.9% expected score (760,537 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 56.5% expected score (25,073 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 57.7% expected score (5,491 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (4,040,144 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.8% expected score (2,503,302 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 56.5% expected score (242,289 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 57.8% expected score (4,846 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 60.6% expected score (377 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 55.3% expected score (1,142,012 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.8% expected score (304,203 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 57.7% expected score (15,029 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 54.3% expected score (1,974 games)

Matrix view reveals how performance varies across rating brackets and time controls. Green indicates favorable, red indicates challenging contexts.

Variations (127)

1
English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit741 games
62.2%
2
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense, Exchange Variation155K games
57.4%
3
English Opening: Zilbermints Gambit728 games
59.6%
English Opening: Porcupine Variation391 games
60.5%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Catalan Defense, Semi-Slav Defense244K games
55.9%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Kurajica Defense48K games
56.0%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Mecking Variation118K games
55.8%
English Opening: Mikenas-Carls Variation558K games
55.4%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Romanishin Variation1.0K games
57.8%
English Opening: Carls-Bremen System746K games
55.3%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Catalan Defense44K games
55.5%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Catalan Defense Accepted116K games
55.1%
English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense, Löhn Gambit130K games
54.9%
English Opening: Myers Defense72K games
54.8%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights, Fianchetto Variation568K games
54.6%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Bogoljubow Defense24K games
54.8%
English Opening: Neo-Catalan112K games
54.5%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Fianchetto Variation293K games
54.3%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Botvinnik System, Prickly Pawn Pass System2.2K games
55.9%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line330K games
54.2%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Anglo-Grünfeld Variation206K games
54.3%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian4.0M games
54.1%
English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense, Malvinas Variation605K games
54.1%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line39K games
54.4%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Scandinavian Defense247K games
54.1%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Smyslov Defense16K games
54.6%
English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense4.9M games
53.8%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Four Knights Variation254K games
54.0%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Neo-Catalan Declined248K games
54.0%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Quiet Line322K games
53.8%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Formation126K games
54.0%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Knight Variation463K games
53.8%
English Opening: Anglo-Lithuanian Variation561K games
53.7%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Slav Formation6.5K games
54.6%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Troger Defense73K games
53.7%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Korchnoi Line34K games
53.8%
English Opening: Anglo-Scandinavian Defense, Schulz Gambit449K games
53.4%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Normal Variation1.5M games
53.4%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Ultra-Symmetrical Variation278K games
53.3%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Three Knights System459K games
53.2%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Reversed Closed Sicilian1.8M games
53.1%
English Opening: King's English Variation6.2M games
53.1%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Knight Variation2.3M games
53.1%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Wimpy System73K games
53.2%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Nimzowitsch Variation323K games
53.0%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Grünfeld Formation7.7K games
53.7%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation2.1M games
52.8%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation3.3M games
52.8%
English Opening: Jaenisch Gambit243K games
52.8%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Two Knights Variation1.0M games
52.7%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Nimzo-English55K games
53.0%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Full Symmetry Line151K games
52.9%
English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense857K games
52.7%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Keres Defense84K games
52.9%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Reversed Dragon369K games
52.7%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Symmetrical Variation12K games
53.4%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Duchamp Variation139K games
52.8%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights Variation200K games
52.7%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Zvjaginsev-Krasenkow Attack615 games
55.8%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Double Fianchetto20K games
53.1%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Keres Variation402K games
52.6%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System171K games
52.6%
English Opening4.0M games
52.4%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Tarrasch Defense7.8K games
53.3%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with Nf349K games
52.8%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Hedgehog Defense37K games
52.8%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense2.3M games
52.4%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Keres Defense11K games
53.1%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Anti-Anti-Grünfeld56K games
52.6%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Bradley Beach Variation25K games
52.7%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense5.8M games
52.3%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System Reversed, with e327K games
52.7%
English Opening: Agincourt Defense, Bogoljubov Defense975 games
54.9%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with Bc510K games
53.0%
English Opening: King's English, Mazedonisch12K games
52.9%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Flohr-Mikenas-Carls Variation, Nei Gambit39K games
52.6%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Hungarian Attack2.0K games
54.0%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Hedgehog System1.2M games
52.2%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Old Indian Formation196K games
52.2%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation110K games
52.3%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation, Double Fianchetto14K games
52.8%
English Opening: Mikenas-Carls, Sicilian99K games
52.3%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Kramnik-Shirov Counterattack674K games
52.1%
English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense411K games
52.1%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with .. d616K games
52.7%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, King's Indian Formation434K games
52.1%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Taimanov Variation61K games
52.2%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Flexible Line169K games
52.0%
English Opening: Neo-Catalan Declined28K games
52.1%
English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Variation, Ferenc Gambit8.7K games
52.4%
English Opening: Great Snake Variation3.3M games
51.7%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation, Smyslov System345K games
51.7%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with .. d6, Be76.0K games
52.5%
English Opening: Four Knights System, Nimzowitsch Variation346K games
51.5%
English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Defense, Hickmann Gambit9.9K games
52.1%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Bellon Gambit5.1K games
52.4%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with Nb660K games
51.5%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Three Knights, Fianchetto Variation194K games
51.4%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Botvinnik System12K games
51.9%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Closed System, Full Symmetry17K games
51.7%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation609K games
51.2%
English Opening: Wade Gambit3.5K games
52.4%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Closed System13K games
51.6%
English Opening: Myers Gambit44K games
51.2%
English Opening: Caro-Kann Defensive System3.2M games
50.8%
English Opening: Drill Variation9.9K games
51.5%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Spielmann Defense290K games
50.9%
English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense, Queen's Indian Variation2.2K games
52.2%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with .. d6, a62.2K games
52.2%
English Opening: The Whale1.9M games
50.4%
English Opening: Anglo-Grünfeld Defense, Korchnoi Variation371 games
54.3%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Nimzowitsch-Flohr Variation134K games
50.3%
English Opening: Adorjan Defense12K games
50.5%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Rubinstein Variation44K games
49.7%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Adhiban Gambit15K games
49.8%
English Opening: Achilles-Omega Gambit33K games
48.1%
English Opening: Symmetrical, Hedgehog, Flexible Formation1.5K games
49.7%
English Opening: Anglo-Dutch Variation, Chabanon Gambit173 games
53.5%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, with .. d6, h62.5K games
48.8%
English Opening: Wing Gambit11K games
47.6%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Anti-Benoni Variation, Geller Variation4.2K games
48.1%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Bremen-Hort Variation6.5K games
47.8%
English Opening: Romanishin Gambit2.8K games
47.6%
English Opening: Closed, Taimanov Variation384 games
49.4%
English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Napolitano Gambit1.2K games
47.3%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Kahiko-Hula Gambit137 games
51.8%
English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line, Delayed .. Nc6378 games
41.5%
Analyze English Opening PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the English Opening win rate?

The English Opening family has a 50.6% (90% CI: 50.6%-50.6%) win rate for white, aggregated from 127 variations and 65M rated games from Lichess.

How many English Opening variations are there?

This analysis covers 127 English Opening variations with sufficient game data. Each variation has its own statistics page with detailed win rates by rating and time control.

At what rating does the English Opening perform best?

The English Opening family performs best at 1200-1399 Elo with a 51.0% win rate for white (5.8M games). Performance may vary by specific variation.

Is the English Opening better in blitz or rapid?

Bullet (51.0%) outperforms UltraBullet (50.1%) by 0.9% across all English Opening variations.

How sharp is the English Opening?

English Opening games are 95.7% decisive (non-draws), with an average length of 35 moves. Sharpness varies by specific variation.

Is the English Opening a good opening family?

The English Opening family is statistically favors white overall with a 50.6% (90% CI: 50.6%-50.6%) aggregated win rate. However, win rates vary significantly between the 127 variations—explore individual lines to find the best fit for your style.