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Center Game: Ross Gambit

137K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.7%

45%60%
Floor52.5%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.9%.

Measured over 137K 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 · 137K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
137K
Best context
56.8% at 1800-1999 Bullet
Worst context
46.0% at 0-999 Rapid
Average game length
32 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: +7.9% · Breakpoint: 0-999

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 13.1% · 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 falls away as the rating rises: 51.3% at 0-999, 39.5% 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: 67.7% expected score (7 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.3% expected score (1,335 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 47.7% expected score (3,225 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 46.0% expected score (1,133 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 44.7% expected score (8 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 58.5% expected score (22 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 51.1% expected score (2,669 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.9% expected score (6,712 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 49.9% expected score (1,947 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 33.1% expected score (25 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (44 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 53.5% expected score (6,166 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.2% expected score (10,855 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.0% expected score (3,219 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 44.5% expected score (162 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 59.7% expected score (112 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (5,510 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (16,779 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.9% expected score (5,159 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 47.9% expected score (119 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 61.8% expected score (117 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.9% expected score (7,869 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (15,942 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (4,797 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 48.0% expected score (120 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 43.2% expected score (35 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 56.8% expected score (8,459 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.5% expected score (16,109 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 52.2% expected score (1,682 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 54.2% expected score (46 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 66.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.8% expected score (9,008 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (3,462 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (417 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (2,409 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 49.8% expected score (257 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (9 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 49.0% expected score (539 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 30.0% expected score (1 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: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit
51.1%
Analyze Center Game: Ross Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Center Game: Ross Gambit scores 52.7% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.5% and 52.9% — from 137K 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
137K+ 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: Ross Gambit win rate?

Playing the Center Game: Ross Gambit, White wins 51.3%, draws 2.8% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 137K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Center Game: Ross Gambit perform best?

The Center Game: Ross Gambit performs best for White at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 54.5% (26K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Center Game: Ross Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Center Game: Ross Gambit scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 52.3% in Blitz (73K games) against 51.3% in Rapid (18K games).

How sharp is the Center Game: Ross Gambit?

The Center Game: Ross Gambit has a sharpness score of 97.2 (very decisive), meaning 97.2% of games end decisively. Average game length is 32 moves.

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

At 0-999, White wins 46.4%, draws 3.1% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 5.7K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, White wins 49.5%, draws 2.4% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, White wins 51.3%, draws 2.6% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 20K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, White wins 51.1%, draws 2.9% and loses 46.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.6%. It rests on 28K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, White wins 51.4%, draws 2.7% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 29K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, White wins 53.0%, draws 2.8% and loses 44.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.5%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, White wins 52.2%, draws 2.6% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.4%, draws 3.8% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 2.7K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Center Game: Ross Gambit win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 45.9%, draws 6.0% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 540 Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Center Game: Ross Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 57.9%, draws 0.7% and loses 41.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.3%. It rests on 352 Lichess games.

What is the Center Game: Ross Gambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 53.0%, draws 2.0% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 44K Lichess games.

What is the Center Game: Ross Gambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.7%, draws 3.1% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 73K Lichess games.

What is the Center Game: Ross Gambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 49.5%, draws 3.5% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 18K Lichess games.

What is the Center Game: Ross Gambit win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 44.8%, draws 3.4% and loses 51.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.5%. It rests on 482 Lichess games.

Is the Center Game: Ross Gambit a good opening?

The Center Game: Ross Gambit is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.3% of its games and loses 46.0%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.