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Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense

281K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

49.0%

45%55%
Floor48.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.2%.

Measured over 281K 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 Black

Draw 3.3 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 281K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
281K
Best context
54.9% at 0-999 Rapid
Worst context
44.4% at 2500+ 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.

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: 53.5% at 0-999, 41.2% 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, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (2,570 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (8,075 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 54.9% expected score (3,800 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 55.1% expected score (28 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.9% expected score (7 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (4,163 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (11,835 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (6,261 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 61.1% expected score (111 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 54.9% expected score (29 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (6,633 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (16,555 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 50.9% expected score (9,075 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 58.4% expected score (232 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 54.8% expected score (40 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.0% expected score (8,772 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (23,603 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.4% expected score (12,371 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 56.7% expected score (452 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 44.6% expected score (91 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (12,038 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (26,276 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.9% expected score (14,379 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 49.8% expected score (622 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 54.0% expected score (61 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.8% expected score (14,208 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.4% expected score (27,256 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.5% expected score (10,898 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 49.7% expected score (405 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 36.5% expected score (17 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 47.8% expected score (16,142 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.5% expected score (16,608 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (3,900 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 45.1% expected score (130 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 38.6% expected score (16 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.4% expected score (13,126 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 46.1% expected score (5,835 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 47.2% expected score (788 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (6 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 44.4% expected score (2,763 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 45.0% expected score (487 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 43.4% expected score (6 games)

Related Openings

Variations (5)
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Weinsbach Defense
55.1%
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: O'Kelly Defense
53.2%
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Lamb Defense
47.6%
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Langeheinicke Defense
49.4%
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Elbert Countergambit
47.7%
Analyze Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense scores 49.0% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.9% and 49.2% — from 281K 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
281K+ 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 Declined: Vienna Defense win rate?

Playing the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense, Black wins 47.4%, draws 3.3% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 281K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense perform best?

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 53.0% (14K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 49.2% in Blitz (137K games) against 50.7% in Rapid (61K games).

How sharp is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense?

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna 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 Declined: Vienna Defense win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 51.1%, draws 3.7% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 49.1%, draws 3.0% and loses 47.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.6%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 48.2%, draws 2.8% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 33K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 48.2%, draws 2.7% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 45K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 47.3%, draws 3.2% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 53K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 46.7%, draws 3.5% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 53K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 46.3%, draws 3.6% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 37K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 44.2%, draws 4.3% and loses 51.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.3%. It rests on 20K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 42.1%, draws 4.7% and loses 53.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.5%. It rests on 3.3K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 47.5%, draws 2.1% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 265 Lichess games.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 46.1%, draws 2.5% and loses 51.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 80K Lichess games.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 47.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 137K Lichess games.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 48.8%, draws 3.8% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 61K Lichess games.

What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 50.0%, draws 5.2% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games.

Is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense a good opening?

The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Declined: Vienna Defense is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 47.4% of its games and loses 49.4%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.