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Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation

3.9M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

48.1%

45%55%
Floor48.1%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.

Measured over 3.9M 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 4.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 3.9M games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
3.9M
Best context
56.6% at 0-999 Classical
Worst context
40.2% at 2200-2499 UltraBullet
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
95.3%
Draws
4.7%

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: 54.0% at 0-999, 46.8% 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: 59.1% expected score (159 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (54,184 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (122,056 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 52.7% expected score (67,137 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 56.6% expected score (745 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 54.5% expected score (522 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (90,660 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (154,605 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 50.4% expected score (76,158 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 53.8% expected score (2,098 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 54.3% expected score (1,091 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.4% expected score (135,100 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 48.6% expected score (211,618 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.8% expected score (89,989 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 53.0% expected score (4,500 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 49.9% expected score (2,472 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.4% expected score (176,466 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 48.8% expected score (278,270 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.6% expected score (106,213 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 54.8% expected score (8,107 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 46.9% expected score (3,340 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (219,848 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.4% expected score (321,634 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.8% expected score (101,968 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.4% expected score (7,716 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 45.8% expected score (3,185 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.2% expected score (259,466 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.6% expected score (325,646 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.0% expected score (81,636 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (4,387 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 42.7% expected score (2,119 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.8% expected score (233,075 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.8% expected score (249,459 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.5% expected score (39,143 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 44.7% expected score (1,647 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 40.2% expected score (797 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 45.7% expected score (201,620 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.8% expected score (132,713 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 43.9% expected score (14,018 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 42.4% expected score (292 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 44.1% expected score (32 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 45.1% expected score (53,981 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 44.3% expected score (17,137 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 43.8% expected score (1,436 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 56.7% expected score (313 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Queen's Pawn Game
50.0%
Variations (5)
Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System
51.6%
Queen's Pawn Game: Modern Defense
49.2%
Queen's Pawn Game: Chigorin Variation
50.8%
Queen's Pawn Game: Zukertort Variation
51.1%
Queen's Pawn Game: Colle System
50.8%
Continuations (1)
Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation, Pseudo-Catalan
51.3%
Analyze Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation scores 48.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.1% and 48.2% — from 3.9M 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
3.9M+ 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 Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate?

Playing the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation, Black wins 45.7%, draws 4.7% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 3.9M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation perform best?

The Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 51.5% (244K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 48.1% in Blitz (1.8M games) against 49.7% in Rapid (578K games).

How sharp is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation?

The Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation has a sharpness score of 95.3 (very decisive), meaning 95.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 49.3%, draws 4.4% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 244K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 47.5%, draws 3.7% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 324K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 47.0%, draws 3.5% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 442K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 47.1%, draws 3.8% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 572K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 46.0%, draws 4.2% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 655K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 45.2%, draws 4.8% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.6%. It rests on 674K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.9%, draws 5.6% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 525K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.4%, draws 6.5% and loses 51.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.7%. It rests on 349K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 38.1%, draws 13.6% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.9%. It rests on 73K Lichess games, which average 44 moves.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 46.2%, draws 1.8% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.2%. It rests on 14K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 45.6%, draws 3.5% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 1.4M Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 45.4%, draws 5.4% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 1.8M Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 46.8%, draws 5.7% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 578K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 48.6%, draws 7.3% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 30K Lichess games.

Is the Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation a good opening?

The Queen's Pawn Game: Symmetrical Variation is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 45.7% of its games and loses 49.5%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.