Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid
1.2K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
47.6%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.9%.
Measured over 1.2K games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 14.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.2K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 1.2K
- Best context
- not measured yet
- Average game length
- 43 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 85.1%
- Draws
- 14.9%
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 falls away as the rating rises: 70.0% at 1000-1199, 46.5% at 2500+.
| Rating | UB | Bulle | Blitz | Rapid | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 13.7% expected score (4 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 39.5% expected score (8 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 71.2% expected score (15 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 38.6% expected score (16 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.4% expected score (28 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 61.4% expected score (25 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.8% expected score (51 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 38.9% expected score (12 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 57.1% expected score (62 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 41.0% expected score (186 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 56.2% expected score (23 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (153 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 47.3% expected score (313 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 59.3% expected score (20 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 72.3% expected score (3 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 45.6% expected score (122 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (120 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 42.2% expected score (24 games)
- 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid scores 47.6% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 45.2% and 49.9% — from 1.2K 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
- 1.2K+ 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 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid win rate?
Playing the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid, Black wins 40.1%, draws 14.9% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 1.2K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid perform best?
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 53.8% (90 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 47.1% in Blitz (718 games) against 47.8% in Rapid (87 games).
How sharp is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid?
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid has a sharpness score of 85.1 (moderately decisive), meaning 85.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 43 moves.
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 41.0%, draws 9.3% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.7%. It rests on 273 Lichess games, which average 40 moves.
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.1%, draws 11.9% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 489 Lichess games, which average 42 moves.
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 30.0%, draws 32.6% and loses 37.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 267 Lichess games, which average 52 moves.
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 41.5%, draws 13.4% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 390 Lichess games.
What is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 40.2%, draws 13.7% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 718 Lichess games.
Is the Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid a good opening?
The Nimzo-Indian Defense: Romanishin Variation, English Hybrid is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 40.1% of its games and loses 45.0%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.