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Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation

81K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.7%

45%55%
Floor50.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.0%.

Measured over 81K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 4.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 81K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
81K
Best context
52.8% at 1600-1799 Rapid
Worst context
47.1% at 2000-2199 Rapid
Average game length
33 moves
Games that end decisively
95.8%
Draws
4.2%

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: 56.6% at 0-999, 54.2% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (247 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 56.2% expected score (231 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 48.3% expected score (27 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (1,146 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (1,244 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 53.9% expected score (218 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 76.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.4% expected score (3,132 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (3,938 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 48.3% expected score (715 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 45.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 54.8% expected score (40 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (5,415 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (8,388 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.4% expected score (1,859 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.3% expected score (74 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 44.0% expected score (48 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (7,213 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.2% expected score (12,385 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.8% expected score (3,074 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.3% expected score (155 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (16 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (6,778 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (10,427 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.6% expected score (2,903 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 42.0% expected score (111 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (3,764 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (3,703 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 47.1% expected score (1,105 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 35.7% expected score (16 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (1,824 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (819 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 52.8% expected score (88 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (164 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (45 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 61.2% expected score (3 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Queen's Gambit Declined
50.9%
Variations (5)
Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall Defense
52.8%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation
52.8%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense
53.3%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Baltic Defense
52.3%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense
50.4%
Analyze Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation scores 50.7% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.4% and 51.0% — from 81K 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
81K+ 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 Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate?

Playing the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation, Black wins 48.6%, draws 4.2% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 81K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation perform best?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation performs best for Black at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 51.3% (23K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 50.6% in Blitz (41K games) against 50.5% in Rapid (10.0K games).

How sharp is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation has a sharpness score of 95.8 (very decisive), meaning 95.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 52.9%, draws 1.9% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 506 Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 50.1%, draws 2.3% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 2.6K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 49.0%, draws 2.9% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 7.8K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 48.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 49.1%, draws 4.3% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 23K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 48.1%, draws 4.7% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 20K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.5%, draws 5.6% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 8.6K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 48.6%, draws 5.9% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 2.7K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 48.5%, draws 6.8% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 212 Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 50.2%, draws 2.1% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 119 Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 49.3%, draws 3.2% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 30K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 48.3%, draws 4.6% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 41K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 47.6%, draws 5.7% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 10.0K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 43.8%, draws 9.0% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 372 Lichess games.

Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation a good opening?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Been-Koomen Variation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 48.6% of its games and loses 47.2%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.