English Opening win rate
White scored 53.4% (margin 0.4 points) in 45,165 rated games of the English Opening, ECO A10, played between players within 100 rating points on 1 September 2026. It ranked number 8 of 117 openings by popularity and made up 2.8% of all games.
- White wins 50.9%
- Draws 4.9%
- Black wins 44.2%
45,165 games
How often does White win in the English Opening?
White won 50.9% of the 45,165 games, 4.9% were drawn and Black won 44.2%. White's score of 53.4% is higher than White's score across all openings (51.9%) by 1.5 points, more than the margin of 0.4 points.
| Result | Games | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White wins | 23,011 | 50.9% |
| Draws | 2,200 | 4.9% |
| Black wins | 19,954 | 44.2% |
Does the English Opening score differently at different ratings?
White's score is highest at 2000 and above (53.8%) and lowest at under 1200 (52.1%). That spread of 1.7 points is inside the two margins added together, so the data show no clear difference between the bands.
Players rated 2000 and above choose the English Opening most often relative to their other openings, in 5.2 percent of their games.
| Rating band | Games | Share of the band | White score | Margin (points) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| under 1200 | 4,066 | 1.5% | 52.1% | 1.5 |
| 1200 to 1599 | 12,986 | 2.2% | 53.2% | 0.8 |
| 1600 to 1999 | 19,911 | 3.3% | 53.6% | 0.7 |
| 2000 and above | 8,202 | 5.2% | 53.8% | 1.0 |
How does the English Opening do in blitz, rapid and classical?
The time control changes who tends to win, because the clock matters more in faster games. Rows with fewer than 1,500 games are left out.
| Time control | Games | White score | Margin (points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz | 35,114 | 53.4% | 0.5 |
| Rapid | 9,704 | 53.2% | 1.0 |
What are the most played lines of the English Opening?
The most played named line is the King's English Variation, with 4,969 games and a White score of 54.1%. The table lists the ten most played lines that reached 300 games; a line below that is counted in the last row.
| Line | Games | White score | Margin (points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| King's English Variation | 4,969 | 54.1% | 1.4 |
| Agincourt Defense | 3,737 | 52.4% | 1.6 |
| King's English Variation, Reversed Sicilian | 3,023 | 55.0% | 1.7 |
| Anglo-Scandinavian Defense | 2,690 | 55.1% | 1.8 |
| Symmetrical Variation | 2,297 | 52.0% | 2.0 |
| Great Snake Variation | 1,967 | 51.4% | 2.2 |
| Caro-Kann Defensive System | 1,865 | 49.9% | 2.2 |
| King's English Variation, Two Knights Variation | 1,784 | 52.3% | 2.3 |
| Anglo-Indian Defense | 1,731 | 53.2% | 2.3 |
| The Whale | 1,719 | 50.3% | 2.3 |
| Main line and less played lines | 7,977 | 53.9% | 1.1 |
How were these opening statistics measured?
Rated Blitz, Rapid and Classical games on 1 September 2026 between players within 100 rating points, banded by the lower rating. A score is wins plus half the draws, with a 95 percent margin. The hub page explains the method in full.
Frequently asked questions
What is the win rate of the English Opening?
White won 50.9%, drew 4.9% and lost 44.2% of 45,165 games, a White score of 53.4% with a margin of 0.4 points. These are games on Lichess on 1 September 2026.
Is the English Opening good for White?
At these ratings White's score was higher than White's score across all openings (51.9%) by 1.5 points, more than the margin of 0.4 points. A difference of a point or two is small, and the side that picks an opening also picks which games reach it, so the number describes what happened at these ratings and is not a ruling on the opening.
What is the most popular line of the English Opening?
The King's English Variation was the most played named line, with 4,969 games, which is 11.0% of the English Opening games.
Sources
Related guides and tools
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- Chess opening statistics for players rated under 1200
- Chess opening statistics for players rated 1200 to 1599
- Chess opening statistics for players rated 1600 to 1999
- Chess opening statistics for players rated 2000 and above
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- Chess terms glossary
- Book your first lesson
Last updated 2026-10-22.
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