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Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation

171K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.5%

45%60%
Floor54.3%

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

Measured over 171K 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 3.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 171K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
171K
Best context
59.7% at 1000-1199 Rapid
Worst context
45.7% at 1400-1599 UltraBullet
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
96.4%
Draws
3.6%

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.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 9.6% · Classical best · UltraBullet worst

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: 59.8% at 0-999, 40.1% 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: 58.9% expected score (49 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 57.2% expected score (2,068 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 57.4% expected score (3,671 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 57.4% expected score (1,546 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 68.0% expected score (18 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 51.8% expected score (141 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 56.5% expected score (4,198 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 56.2% expected score (7,659 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 59.7% expected score (2,557 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 71.2% expected score (67 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 47.6% expected score (466 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 54.9% expected score (6,879 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 54.8% expected score (14,764 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 56.6% expected score (3,954 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 62.5% expected score (159 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 45.7% expected score (1,929 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 56.0% expected score (10,001 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.5% expected score (19,718 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 56.1% expected score (5,867 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 60.6% expected score (302 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 49.3% expected score (2,471 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 56.4% expected score (11,253 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 54.4% expected score (18,165 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (6,092 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 61.3% expected score (387 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 53.8% expected score (1,160 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 54.2% expected score (10,300 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (12,232 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.5% expected score (3,975 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 49.3% expected score (143 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 54.8% expected score (251 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.2% expected score (5,614 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.5% expected score (4,926 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (1,284 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 64.7% expected score (19 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 58.5% expected score (22 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (2,949 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (2,692 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (161 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (791 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.6% expected score (402 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 23.4% expected score (6 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Kangaroo Defense
51.1%
Analyze Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation scores 54.5% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 54.3% and 54.7% — from 171K 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
171K+ 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 Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate?

Playing the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation, White wins 52.7%, draws 3.6% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 171K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation perform best?

The Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation performs best for White at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 57.4% (7.4K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 54.2% in Blitz (84K games) against 55.4% in Rapid (25K games).

How sharp is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation?

The Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation has a sharpness score of 96.4 (very decisive), meaning 96.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 56.0%, draws 2.8% and loses 41.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.4%. It rests on 7.4K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 55.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 41.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.9%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 53.4%, draws 3.2% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.0%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 53.1%, draws 3.3% and loses 43.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.8%. It rests on 38K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 52.9%, draws 3.6% and loses 43.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.7%. It rests on 38K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 51.3%, draws 3.9% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 28K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.0%, draws 4.6% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 48.0%, draws 6.0% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 5.8K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 48.6%, draws 7.5% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 48.4%, draws 1.8% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 6.5K Lichess games.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 53.7%, draws 2.6% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.0%. It rests on 54K Lichess games.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 52.2%, draws 4.0% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.2%. It rests on 84K Lichess games.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 53.0%, draws 4.8% and loses 42.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 25K Lichess games.

What is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 58.0%, draws 5.0% and loses 37.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 60.5%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games.

Is the Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation a good opening?

The Kangaroo Defense: Keres Defense, Transpositional Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 52.7% of its games and loses 43.7%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.