Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense

220K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

5...c6

Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

43.2%

40%55%

Floor43.1%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 43.4%.

Measured over 220K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for Black

41.5%3.3%55.2%

Win

Draw

Loss

Draw 3.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 220K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here: not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context: 220K
Best context: 47.0% at 1000-1199 Bullet
Worst context: 40.6% at 1800-1999 Bullet
Average game length: 30 moves
Games that end decisively: 96.7%
Draws: 3.3%

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

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 11.5% · UltraBullet best · Classical worst

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 falls away as the rating rises: 44.1% at 0-999, 33.9% at 2500+.

Rating	UB	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, Bullet: 44.5% expected score (545 games)
0-999 rating, Blitz: 43.0% expected score (493 games)
0-999 rating, Rapid: 44.9% expected score (107 games)
1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.0% expected score (1,519 games)
1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 43.9% expected score (1,591 games)
1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 42.4% expected score (489 games)
1000-1199 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 23.9% expected score (10 games)
1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 41.8% expected score (3,695 games)
1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 42.8% expected score (4,598 games)
1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 45.3% expected score (1,318 games)
1200-1399 rating, Classical: 64.9% expected score (12 games)
1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 41.4% expected score (68 games)
1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 41.6% expected score (6,307 games)
1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 43.0% expected score (11,518 games)
1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 42.9% expected score (3,182 games)
1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.6% expected score (76 games)
1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 37.8% expected score (113 games)
1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 41.4% expected score (11,610 games)
1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 43.9% expected score (20,353 games)
1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 44.5% expected score (6,430 games)
1600-1799 rating, Classical: 45.8% expected score (239 games)
1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 46.1% expected score (24 games)
1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 40.6% expected score (18,798 games)
1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 44.3% expected score (34,616 games)
1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 45.7% expected score (8,106 games)
1800-1999 rating, Classical: 50.3% expected score (380 games)
2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 39.9% expected score (33 games)
2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 41.9% expected score (21,558 games)
2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 44.3% expected score (26,303 games)
2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.1% expected score (4,846 games)
2000-2199 rating, Classical: 48.1% expected score (179 games)
2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 40.8% expected score (31 games)
2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 41.9% expected score (17,578 games)
2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.0% expected score (8,051 games)
2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.7% expected score (1,083 games)
2200-2499 rating, Classical: 46.0% expected score (11 games)
2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
2500+ rating, Bullet: 42.7% expected score (3,263 games)
2500+ rating, Blitz: 38.9% expected score (385 games)
2500+ rating, Rapid: 23.9% expected score (10 games)

Related Openings

Parent

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted

50.9%

Variations (5)

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ryder Gambit

54.2%

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Teichmann Defense

53.2%

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Euwe Defense

58.8%

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Pietrowsky Defense

53.4%

Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Gunderam Defense

46.8%

Analyze Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense scores 43.2% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 43.1% and 43.4% — from 220K 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: 220K+ 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 Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate?

Playing the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense, Black wins 41.5%, draws 3.3% and loses 55.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.2%. It rests on 220K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense perform best?

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense performs best for Black at 1000-1199, with an Expected Score of 45.0% (3.6K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 44.0% in Blitz (108K games) against 44.9% in Rapid (26K games).

How sharp is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense?

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense has a sharpness score of 96.7 (very decisive), meaning 96.7% of games end decisively. Average game length is 30 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 43.0%, draws 1.6% and loses 55.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.9%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games, which average 23 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 43.6%, draws 2.8% and loses 53.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.0%. It rests on 3.6K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 41.7%, draws 2.1% and loses 56.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.7%. It rests on 9.6K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 41.3%, draws 2.4% and loses 56.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.5%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 41.7%, draws 3.0% and loses 55.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.2%. It rests on 39K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 41.8%, draws 3.2% and loses 55.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.4%. It rests on 62K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 41.6%, draws 3.8% and loses 54.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.5%. It rests on 53K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 40.8%, draws 4.2% and loses 55.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.9%. It rests on 27K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 39.6%, draws 5.1% and loses 55.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.2%. It rests on 3.7K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 38.4%, draws 1.6% and loses 60.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 39.2%. It rests on 281 Lichess games.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 40.3%, draws 2.6% and loses 57.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.6%. It rests on 85K Lichess games.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 42.1%, draws 3.7% and loses 54.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.0%. It rests on 108K Lichess games.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 43.0%, draws 3.8% and loses 53.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.9%. It rests on 26K Lichess games.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 46.4%, draws 5.0% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 900 Lichess games.

Is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense a good opening?

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Accepted: Ziegler Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 41.5% of its games and loses 55.2%. It performs best at 1000-1199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.