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Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit

708K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.5%

45%60%
Floor52.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.6%.

Measured over 708K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 2.8 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 708K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
708K
Best context
55.2% at 2200-2499 Rapid
Worst context
47.6% at 0-999 Rapid
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
97.2%
Draws
2.8%

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

Gambit BreakpointWhite

Peak: +6.0% · Breakpoint: 0-999

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 8.3% · UltraBullet best · Classical worst

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 gets better as the rating rises: 47.3% at 0-999, 55.5% 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, UltraBullet: 51.8% expected score (82 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (6,335 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (5,609 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 47.6% expected score (1,983 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 35.7% expected score (23 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 45.2% expected score (124 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (8,896 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (18,963 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (5,241 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 52.8% expected score (52 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 51.6% expected score (123 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.8% expected score (15,664 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (43,874 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (14,438 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 48.2% expected score (244 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 61.1% expected score (274 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.1% expected score (21,764 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (92,724 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (29,161 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 49.9% expected score (991 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 62.6% expected score (461 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 54.2% expected score (39,238 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (118,027 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (52,121 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.8% expected score (2,189 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 58.9% expected score (66 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (34,308 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (86,250 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (38,226 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.4% expected score (2,019 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (17,791 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (27,819 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 51.9% expected score (11,126 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 52.3% expected score (242 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (6,510 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (3,630 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.2% expected score (611 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 59.1% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (383 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 68.4% expected score (23 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (2 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Center Game
53.6%
Variations (5)
Center Game: Normal Variation
45.2%
Center Game: Paulsen Attack Variation
52.3%
Center Game: Kieseritzky Variation
54.5%
Center Game: Berger Variation
50.7%
Center Game: von der Lasa Gambit
52.4%
Continuations (1)
Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit, Crocodile Variation
47.6%
Analyze Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit scores 52.5% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.4% and 52.6% — from 708K 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
708K+ 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 Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate?

Playing the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit, White wins 51.1%, draws 2.8% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 708K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit perform best?

The Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit performs best for White at 1400-1599, with an Expected Score of 53.2% (145K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 52.3% in Blitz (397K games) against 52.5% in Rapid (153K games).

How sharp is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit?

The Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit has a sharpness score of 97.2 (very decisive), meaning 97.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 48.9%, draws 2.9% and loses 48.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 51.6%, draws 2.3% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 33K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 51.7%, draws 2.3% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 74K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.0%, draws 2.4% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.2%. It rests on 145K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 51.3%, draws 2.8% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 212K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.6%, draws 3.2% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 161K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 49.7%, draws 3.6% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 57K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White 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 11K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 47.3%, draws 4.3% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 408 Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 57.6%, draws 0.8% and loses 41.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.1%. It rests on 1.1K Lichess games.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.3%, draws 1.8% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.2%. It rests on 151K Lichess games.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.8%, draws 3.0% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 397K Lichess games.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.7%, draws 3.5% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 153K Lichess games.

What is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 49.3%, draws 4.3% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 5.8K Lichess games.

Is the Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit a good opening?

The Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.1% of its games and loses 46.1%. It performs best at 1400-1599. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.