Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack
38K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
48.5%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 48.9%.
Measured over 38K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for White
Draw 3.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 38K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 38K
- Best context
- 51.3% at 1000-1199 Rapid
- Worst context
- 44.7% at 2200-2499 Blitz
- Average game length
- 31 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 96.8%
- Draws
- 3.2%
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 · White score by rating × clock
Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It holds about the same all the way up, near 43.1%.
| 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, Bullet: 46.9% expected score (175 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 46.3% expected score (444 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (180 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (377 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 46.8% expected score (1,080 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (525 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 46.5% expected score (624 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.4% expected score (1,587 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.4% expected score (941 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 54.1% expected score (23 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 54.0% expected score (11 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.5% expected score (1,013 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (2,520 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 47.9% expected score (1,376 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (54 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (1,809 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.8% expected score (3,226 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 46.5% expected score (1,608 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 54.8% expected score (61 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.9% expected score (2,679 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (4,503 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 46.7% expected score (1,191 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 56.2% expected score (39 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (3,614 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.5% expected score (3,251 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 47.0% expected score (541 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (6 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 49.4% expected score (3,061 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 44.7% expected score (804 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 46.1% expected score (76 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 64.3% expected score (2 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (577 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 37.1% expected score (14 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack scores 48.5% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 48.1% and 48.9% — from 38K 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
- 38K+ 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: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate?
Playing the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack, White wins 46.9%, draws 3.2% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 38K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack perform best?
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack performs best for White at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 49.0% (7.4K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 47.8% in Blitz (17K games) against 47.7% in Rapid (6.4K games).
How sharp is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack?
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack has a sharpness score of 96.8 (very decisive), meaning 96.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, White wins 45.5%, draws 3.1% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 800 Lichess games, which average 25 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, White wins 46.9%, draws 2.8% and loses 50.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, White wins 47.4%, draws 2.9% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 3.2K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, White wins 47.2%, draws 2.7% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 5.0K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, White wins 46.7%, draws 2.8% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 6.7K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 46.7%, draws 3.4% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 8.4K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 47.2%, draws 3.5% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.0%. It rests on 7.4K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 46.5%, draws 3.7% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.4%. It rests on 3.9K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 45.7%, draws 5.7% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 591 Lichess games, which average 38 moves.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 48.4%, draws 2.5% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 14K Lichess games.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 46.0%, draws 3.6% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.8%. It rests on 17K Lichess games.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 45.8%, draws 3.8% and loses 50.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.7%. It rests on 6.4K Lichess games.
What is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack win rate in Classical?
In Classical, White wins 52.3%, draws 2.9% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 187 Lichess games.
Is the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack a good opening?
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit: Zeller Defense, Soller Attack is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 46.9% of its games and loses 49.9%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.