Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack

860K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
6.Be3
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.7%

45%55%
Floor50.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 50.8%.

Measured over 860K 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 White

Draw 6.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 860K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
860K
Best context
62.2% at 2500+ Classical
Worst context
48.2% at 1800-1999 Bullet
Average game length
37 moves
Games that end decisively
93.6%
Draws
6.4%

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 · 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 gets better as the rating rises: 46.7% at 0-999, 58.8% 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: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (565 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (276 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 53.7% expected score (66 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (3,309 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 51.6% expected score (1,795 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 54.2% expected score (412 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 62.2% expected score (15 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 65.2% expected score (15 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (8,814 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (8,370 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (1,786 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 46.0% expected score (85 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 41.5% expected score (22 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (21,888 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.3% expected score (28,054 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.1% expected score (6,333 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 50.4% expected score (412 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 27.8% expected score (12 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (41,862 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (76,353 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.8% expected score (15,899 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 49.3% expected score (1,260 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 63.4% expected score (6 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (57,535 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (138,494 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (29,336 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.7% expected score (2,092 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (63,749 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (125,926 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (27,588 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 51.6% expected score (1,121 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (59,522 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.7% expected score (65,254 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (11,086 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 55.1% expected score (421 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (33,021 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.3% expected score (22,180 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 61.1% expected score (4,522 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 62.2% expected score (549 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Sicilian Defense
48.5%
Variations (5)
Sicilian Defense: Bowdler Attack
47.2%
Sicilian Defense: Old Sicilian
48.5%
Sicilian Defense: Closed
49.8%
Sicilian Defense: Alapin Variation
50.2%
Sicilian Defense: McDonnell Attack
48.6%
Continuations (1)
Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack, Anti-English
44.7%
Analyze Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack scores 50.7% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.6% and 50.8% — from 860K 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
860K+ 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 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate?

Playing the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack, White wins 47.5%, draws 6.4% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 860K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack perform best?

The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 56.3% (60K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 51.2% in Blitz (467K games) against 52.2% in Rapid (97K games).

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack?

The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack has a sharpness score of 93.6 (decisive), meaning 93.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 37 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 49.7%, draws 2.2% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 911 Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 49.1%, draws 1.9% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 5.5K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 49.3%, draws 2.4% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 48.8%, draws 3.0% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 57K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 48.5%, draws 3.5% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 135K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 47.5%, draws 4.1% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 227K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 47.6%, draws 4.8% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 218K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.0%, draws 6.0% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 136K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 39.2%, draws 34.0% and loses 26.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.3%. It rests on 60K Lichess games, which average 52 moves.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 46.2%, draws 6.4% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 290K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.1%, draws 6.1% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 467K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 48.3%, draws 7.9% and loses 43.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 97K Lichess games.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 45.4%, draws 13.0% and loses 41.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 6.0K Lichess games.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack a good opening?

The Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, English Attack is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 47.5% of its games and loses 46.1%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.