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Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense

433K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

42.2%

35%55%
Floor42.1%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 42.3%.

Measured over 433K 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

Draw 2.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 433K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
433K
Best context
46.6% at 2200-2499 Bullet
Worst context
38.0% at 1000-1199 Bullet
Average game length
29 moves
Games that end decisively
97.3%
Draws
2.7%

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

Traps & Chaos

Complexity: 98.5 · Trap factor: +13.0 · 433K games

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 holds about the same all the way up, near 48.2%.

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: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 38.4% expected score (1,962 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 41.6% expected score (2,897 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 40.5% expected score (1,536 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 37.2% expected score (18 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 38.0% expected score (4,831 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 42.0% expected score (10,358 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 41.3% expected score (3,386 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 36.0% expected score (45 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 40.9% expected score (9,499 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 41.0% expected score (28,429 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 42.1% expected score (8,687 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 39.6% expected score (200 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 41.6% expected score (15,431 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 41.0% expected score (49,829 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 40.7% expected score (16,256 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 43.2% expected score (712 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 27.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 41.5% expected score (19,318 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 41.9% expected score (75,586 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 42.5% expected score (22,969 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 46.3% expected score (947 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 43.3% expected score (18,141 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 43.1% expected score (69,974 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 42.4% expected score (19,788 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 43.1% expected score (540 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 44.9% expected score (9,815 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 43.9% expected score (25,964 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 43.4% expected score (7,846 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 48.5% expected score (65 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.6% expected score (4,108 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.5% expected score (2,539 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 39.9% expected score (620 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 37.0% expected score (10 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 48.2% expected score (246 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 53.9% expected score (24 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 35.7% expected score (9 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Danish Gambit Accepted
56.1%
Variations (4)
Danish Gambit Accepted: Classical Defense
56.3%
Danish Gambit Accepted: Schlechter Defense
47.4%
Danish Gambit Accepted: Chigorin Defense
56.3%
Danish Gambit Accepted: Svenonius Defense
52.2%
Analyze Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense scores 42.2% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 42.1% and 42.3% — from 433K 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
433K+ 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 Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate?

Playing the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense, Black wins 40.8%, draws 2.7% and loses 56.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.2%. It rests on 433K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense perform best?

The Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense performs best for Black at 2200-2499, with an Expected Score of 45.6% (7.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 42.2% in Blitz (266K games) against 42.0% in Rapid (81K games).

How sharp is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense?

The Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense has a sharpness score of 97.3 (very decisive), meaning 97.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 29 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 39.2%, draws 2.4% and loses 58.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 40.4%. It rests on 6.4K Lichess games, which average 23 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 39.7%, draws 2.3% and loses 58.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 40.8%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 40.0%, draws 2.4% and loses 57.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.2%. It rests on 47K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 39.8%, draws 2.4% and loses 57.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.1%. It rests on 82K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 40.6%, draws 2.7% and loses 56.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.0%. It rests on 119K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 41.5%, draws 2.9% and loses 55.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.0%. It rests on 108K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 42.4%, draws 3.3% and loses 54.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.1%. It rests on 44K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 43.7%, draws 3.8% and loses 52.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.6%. It rests on 7.3K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 45.6%, draws 5.2% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.2%. It rests on 280 Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 41.3%, draws 1.9% and loses 56.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.2%. It rests on 83K Lichess games.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 40.8%, draws 2.8% and loses 56.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.2%. It rests on 266K Lichess games.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 40.4%, draws 3.2% and loses 56.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.0%. It rests on 81K Lichess games.

What is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense win rate in Classical?

In Classical, 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 2.5K Lichess games.

Is the Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense a good opening?

The Danish Gambit Accepted: Copenhagen Defense is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 40.8% of its games and loses 56.5%. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.