Englund Gambit Declined
1.8M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
50.0%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.
Measured over 1.8M games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for White
Draw 3.0 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.8M games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 1.8M
- Best context
- 57.1% at 1200-1399 Classical
- Worst context
- 48.2% at 1800-1999 Blitz
- Average game length
- 32 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 97.0%
- Draws
- 3.0%
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 · 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: 48.7% at 0-999, 58.9% at 2500+.
| 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, UltraBullet: 36.3% expected score (75 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 48.7% expected score (24,275 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (42,249 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 54.5% expected score (14,383 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 51.9% expected score (129 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 43.8% expected score (176 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 50.5% expected score (50,501 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (90,240 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 54.2% expected score (26,019 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 56.5% expected score (316 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 45.8% expected score (419 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.2% expected score (87,057 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (170,558 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (46,529 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 57.1% expected score (1,059 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 53.5% expected score (2,770 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 49.6% expected score (103,816 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (245,089 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.7% expected score (71,360 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.8% expected score (2,195 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 48.9% expected score (1,650 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (103,769 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (234,984 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.4% expected score (75,204 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 50.7% expected score (2,145 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 56.6% expected score (1,227 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (81,381 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (150,454 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.9% expected score (43,880 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 49.8% expected score (1,033 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 56.7% expected score (983 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 49.8% expected score (39,761 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (38,347 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 50.1% expected score (9,271 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 49.6% expected score (114 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 55.0% expected score (399 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (18,480 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (3,273 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 49.8% expected score (440 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 65.1% expected score (35 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 53.1% expected score (1,951 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 58.6% expected score (74 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Englund Gambit Declined scores 50.0% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.9% and 50.0% — from 1.8M 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
- 1.8M+ 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 Englund Gambit Declined win rate?
Playing the Englund Gambit Declined, White wins 48.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 1.8M rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Englund Gambit Declined perform best?
The Englund Gambit Declined performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 53.5% (2.1K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Englund Gambit Declined better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the Englund Gambit Declined scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 49.8% in Blitz (975K games) against 50.8% in Rapid (287K games).
How sharp is the Englund Gambit Declined?
The Englund Gambit Declined has a sharpness score of 97.0 (very decisive), meaning 97.0% of games end decisively. Average game length is 32 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, White wins 50.2%, draws 2.9% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.7%. It rests on 81K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, White wins 50.5%, draws 2.6% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 167K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, White wins 49.3%, draws 2.7% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 306K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, White wins 48.6%, draws 2.8% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 425K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, White wins 47.6%, draws 3.1% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 418K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 46.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 278K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 47.6%, draws 3.7% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 88K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 49.8%, draws 4.0% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 23K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 50.8%, draws 5.4% and loses 43.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, White wins 51.9%, draws 1.6% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 7.7K Lichess games.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 48.8%, draws 1.9% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 511K Lichess games.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 48.1%, draws 3.3% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 975K Lichess games.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 48.8%, draws 3.9% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 287K Lichess games.
What is the Englund Gambit Declined win rate in Classical?
In Classical, White wins 50.2%, draws 4.4% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 7.0K Lichess games.
Is the Englund Gambit Declined a good opening?
The Englund Gambit Declined is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.4% of its games and loses 48.5%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.