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French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit

55K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

52.8%

45%60%
Floor52.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 53.1%.

Measured over 55K 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 3.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 55K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
55K
Best context
58.0% at 2500+ Bullet
Worst context
48.6% at 1200-1399 Bullet
Average game length
34 moves
Games that end decisively
96.5%
Draws
3.5%

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: +12.7% · Breakpoint: 0-999

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: 49.3% at 0-999, 53.1% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 43.1% expected score (99 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 40.8% expected score (101 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 43.3% expected score (28 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 54.2% expected score (264 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (313 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 44.7% expected score (93 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (862 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.5% expected score (729 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 55.7% expected score (183 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 52.2% expected score (183 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (1,855 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (2,062 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 54.4% expected score (419 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 41.4% expected score (16 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 46.6% expected score (115 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (3,496 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.0% expected score (5,139 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (684 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 52.0% expected score (23 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 59.2% expected score (97 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (4,861 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (7,336 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (1,213 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 44.6% expected score (35 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 39.5% expected score (60 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 55.1% expected score (4,999 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 53.0% expected score (6,833 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (944 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 60.1% expected score (38 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 55.9% expected score (6,247 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (3,923 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 56.7% expected score (368 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 58.0% expected score (1,074 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 62.0% expected score (224 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 42.3% expected score (5 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (1 games)

Related Openings

Parent
French Defense
45.7%
Variations (5)
French Defense: Knight Variation
48.3%
French Defense: Exchange Variation
47.7%
French Defense: Normal Variation
50.3%
French Defense: Advance Variation
48.0%
French Defense: Queen's Knight
48.5%
Analyze French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit scores 52.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.4% and 53.1% — from 55K 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
55K+ 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 French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate?

Playing the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit, White wins 51.0%, draws 3.5% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 55K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit perform best?

The French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 58.6% (1.3K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 52.4% in Blitz (27K games) against 51.3% in Rapid (3.9K games).

How sharp is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit?

The French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit has a sharpness score of 96.5 (very decisive), meaning 96.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 34 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 41.0%, draws 2.4% and loses 56.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.2%. It rests on 229 Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 51.0%, draws 1.9% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.0%. It rests on 672 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 50.5%, draws 1.8% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 1.8K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 49.5%, draws 2.1% and loses 48.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 4.5K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 49.7%, draws 2.8% and loses 47.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.2%. It rests on 9.5K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 50.5%, draws 3.4% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 14K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 51.6%, draws 3.8% and loses 44.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 52.4%, draws 4.5% and loses 43.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.7%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 55.3%, draws 6.5% and loses 38.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.6%. It rests on 1.3K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 50.6%, draws 1.4% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 478 Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.2%, draws 2.5% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 24K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 50.3%, draws 4.2% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 27K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 48.8%, draws 5.0% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 3.9K Lichess games.

What is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 46.7%, draws 9.7% and loses 43.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.6%. It rests on 128 Lichess games.

Is the French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit a good opening?

The French Defense: Advance Variation, Ruisdonk Gambit is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 51.0% of its games and loses 45.5%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.