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Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit

Black Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst−11.1%

Black isn't shown winning more often than losing at this level

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: −15.8% at 1600-1799
1600-17991800-1999
Win%47.8%
Games389
Breakpoint1600-1799first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Does Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit work for Black at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit keeps Black's wins running −11.1% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 389 Lichess games. The games don't show this gambit paying at this level. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

RatingEdge at worstBlack WinDrawBlack LossGames
1600-1799−15.8%48.4%1.0%50.5%142
1800-1999−20.7%47.2%1.6%51.3%95
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for Black on the opening stats page
Analyze Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit sound?

Not shown to be. Black does not come out ahead at any rating we can see: its best Edge at worst, at 1600-1799, is −15.8%.

What is the Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit win rate?

Black wins 47.8% of Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit games, draws 1.7% and loses 50.6%. That rests on 389 games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit?

No rating in these games shows it paying. Black's Edge at worst is highest at 1600-1799: −15.8%, how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident.

Is the Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

Blitz. For Black, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is −8.9% in Blitz (177 games) and −15.7% in Rapid (154 games). In neither do the games show Black winning more than losing.

Does the Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit breakpoint vary by time control?

Yes. In Blitz, only 1800-1999 has enough games, and there the games do not show Black coming out ahead. In Rapid, only 1600-1799 has enough games, and there the games do not show Black coming out ahead. Across all clocks together, it falls short at 1600-1799.

How sharp is the Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit?

The Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit is extremely sharp: 1.7% of its games are drawn, so 98.3% end with a winner.

Should I play the Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit?

Not for the results: Black does not come out ahead at any rating we can see.

How do I defend against the Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit?

As White, take the material, then develop fast, castle early, and trade pieces. Give the material back when doing so kills the attack. Black does not come out ahead with it at any rating we can see.

How reliable is the Bishop's Opening: Thorold Gambit data?

This rests on 389 games from Lichess. Every figure carries the range it is in, 90% confident, and the table above shows how many games sit behind each rating and each clock — the fewer there are, the wider that range.