Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack
140K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
46.4%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 46.6%.
Measured over 140K games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 3.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 140K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 140K
- Best context
- 52.4% at 2000-2199 Bullet
- Worst context
- 42.6% at 1200-1399 Rapid
- Average game length
- 31 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 96.1%
- Draws
- 3.9%
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.
Extra Analysis
Deep-dive datasets for this opening
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 gets better as the rating rises: 37.6% at 0-999, 40.3% 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
- 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 47.5% expected score (2,795 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 44.9% expected score (5,152 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 44.0% expected score (1,334 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.3% expected score (5,098 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 44.5% expected score (12,173 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 43.6% expected score (4,253 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 46.5% expected score (27 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (7,502 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 45.1% expected score (14,766 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 42.6% expected score (7,001 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 45.5% expected score (119 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.6% expected score (6,954 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 46.2% expected score (15,496 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 43.3% expected score (6,958 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 40.6% expected score (338 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (5,391 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.3% expected score (13,281 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 44.5% expected score (5,926 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 43.7% expected score (349 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.9% expected score (3,988 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (7,748 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 46.6% expected score (3,725 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 34.5% expected score (153 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.4% expected score (2,759 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (3,488 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 44.4% expected score (706 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 44.6% expected score (17 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (1,298 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (1,111 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 40.3% expected score (112 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 45.0% expected score (98 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 46.0% expected score (36 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack scores 46.4% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 46.2% and 46.6% — from 140K 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
- 140K+ 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 Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate?
Playing the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack, Black wins 44.4%, draws 3.9% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 140K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack perform best?
The Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 50.7% (7.0K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 46.4% in Blitz (73K games) against 43.8% in Rapid (30K games).
How sharp is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack?
The Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack has a sharpness score of 96.1 (very decisive), meaning 96.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 44.0%, draws 2.9% and loses 53.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 9.3K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 43.2%, draws 3.5% and loses 53.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.0%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 43.6%, draws 3.6% and loses 52.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.4%. It rests on 29K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 43.9%, draws 3.8% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 30K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.3%, draws 4.3% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 25K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 45.7%, draws 4.7% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 48.2%, draws 4.9% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 7.0K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.0%, draws 5.6% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 2.5K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 42.1%, draws 5.5% and loses 52.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.9%. It rests on 135 Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 47.1%, draws 2.9% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 36K Lichess games.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 44.3%, draws 4.2% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.4%. It rests on 73K Lichess games.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 41.6%, draws 4.4% and loses 54.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.8%. It rests on 30K Lichess games.
What is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 39.1%, draws 4.8% and loses 56.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.5%. It rests on 1.0K Lichess games.
Is the Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack a good opening?
The Scandinavian Defense: Anderssen Counterattack is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.4% of its games and loses 51.7%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.