Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit
60K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
46.5%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 46.8%.
Measured over 60K games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 3.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 60K games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 60K
- Best context
- 51.9% at 1400-1599 Bullet
- Worst context
- 39.5% at 0-999 Rapid
- Average game length
- 31 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 96.4%
- Draws
- 3.6%
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: 35.5% at 0-999, 55.2% 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: 18.5% expected score (8 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (2,130 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 43.8% expected score (3,766 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 39.5% expected score (1,580 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 27.4% expected score (25 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 57.5% expected score (12 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (2,554 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 45.5% expected score (5,078 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 43.4% expected score (1,751 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 41.6% expected score (34 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 36.2% expected score (13 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.6% expected score (2,917 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 46.3% expected score (6,458 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 44.1% expected score (2,180 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 41.1% expected score (99 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 48.0% expected score (23 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (3,297 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 45.9% expected score (6,325 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 46.0% expected score (2,381 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 42.9% expected score (139 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 47.3% expected score (17 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (2,865 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (5,448 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 46.8% expected score (1,607 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 39.8% expected score (57 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 44.9% expected score (18 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (2,122 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 44.6% expected score (2,753 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 43.5% expected score (737 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 32.9% expected score (16 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 62.9% expected score (18 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.2% expected score (1,285 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 43.2% expected score (771 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 41.1% expected score (171 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 69.1% expected score (9 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 45.4% expected score (610 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 43.3% expected score (163 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 39.7% expected score (13 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 36.9% expected score (124 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (4 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit scores 46.5% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 46.1% and 46.8% — from 60K 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
- 60K+ 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 Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate?
Playing the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit, Black wins 44.6%, draws 3.6% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.5%. It rests on 60K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit perform best?
The Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit performs best for Black at 1400-1599, with an Expected Score of 47.5% (12K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 45.5% in Blitz (31K games) against 44.0% in Rapid (10K games).
How sharp is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit?
The Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit has a sharpness score of 96.4 (very decisive), meaning 96.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 41.2%, draws 5.7% and loses 53.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.1%. It rests on 7.5K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 44.6%, draws 3.2% and loses 52.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.2%. It rests on 9.4K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 45.2%, draws 3.4% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.9%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 45.9%, draws 3.1% and loses 51.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 45.8%, draws 3.3% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.5%. It rests on 10.0K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 44.0%, draws 3.9% and loses 52.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.0%. It rests on 5.6K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 43.6%, draws 3.8% and loses 52.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 2.2K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.1%, draws 4.0% and loses 52.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.1%. It rests on 795 Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 35.4%, draws 5.7% and loses 58.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 38.3%. It rests on 130 Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 48.1%, draws 2.9% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 120 Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 48.3%, draws 2.4% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 18K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 43.5%, draws 4.0% and loses 52.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.5%. It rests on 31K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 41.6%, draws 4.7% and loses 53.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.0%. It rests on 10K Lichess games.
What is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 38.5%, draws 3.3% and loses 58.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 40.2%. It rests on 374 Lichess games.
Is the Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit a good opening?
The Benoni Defense: Cormorant Gambit is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 44.6% of its games and loses 51.7%. It performs best at 1400-1599. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.