Ware Opening: Symmetric Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
30,570 games: White 48.8% / Draw 7.3% / Black 43.9%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 5,9135,913 | ||
| 4,8914,891 | ||
| 3,5823,582 | ||
| 2,3082,308 | ||
| 2,2572,257 | ||
| 2,0022,002 | ||
| 1,8571,857 | ||
| 1,3301,330 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 1, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.31 White is slightly better
Best play: 2. e4 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. Nf3 d6 5. d4 Bg4 6. Be2 e6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Ware Opening: Symmetric Variation (ECO A00, Flank Openings) is a variation of the Ware Opening, reached after 1. a4 a5 (1 move).
In 30,570 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 48.8%, Black 43.9% and 7.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 2. b3, in 19% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Ware Opening: Symmetric Variation
2. g3 scores best for White: 62.3%, with White winning 58.8% and Black 34.3% of 2,002 games. The most played, 2. b3, scores 51.8% in 5,913 games, and 2. e3 scores lowest: 48.0%. Stockfish's first choice is 2. e4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Ware Opening: Symmetric Variation (A00)”. Lichess data as of 1 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/ware-opening-symmetric-variation