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English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined

White Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst−8.3%

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

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: −0.5% at 1200-1399
1000-11992200-2499
Win%46.1%
Games2.7K
Breakpoint1000-1199first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Does English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined keeps White's wins running −8.3% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 2.7K 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 worstWhite WinDrawWhite LossGames
1000-1199−27.8%43.4%2.9%53.8%85
1200-1399−0.5%54.1%3.7%42.2%175
1400-1599−14.2%46.6%1.7%51.6%317
1600-1799−11.4%47.4%1.4%51.2%464
1800-1999−11.6%45.1%3.4%51.5%955
2000-2199−17.1%44.0%3.1%52.9%400
2200-2499−16.6%45.8%3.1%51.1%207
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined sound?

Not shown to be. White does not come out ahead at any rating we can see: its best Edge at worst, at 1200-1399, is −0.5%.

What is the English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined win rate?

White wins 46.1% of English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined games, draws 2.7% and loses 51.2%. That rests on 2.7K games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined?

No rating in these games shows it paying. White's Edge at worst is highest at 1200-1399: −0.5%, how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident.

Is the English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined better in blitz or rapid?

Rapid. For White, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is −10.7% in Blitz (819 games) and −9.3% in Rapid (109 games). In neither do the games show White winning more than losing.

Does the English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined breakpoint vary by time control?

No. The first rating where the games do not show White coming out ahead is 1200-1399 in Bullet and 1200-1399 in Blitz.

How sharp is the English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined?

The English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined is extremely sharp: 2.7% of its games are drawn, so 97.3% end with a winner.

Should I play the English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined?

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

How do I defend against the English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined?

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

How reliable is the English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined data?

This rests on 2.7K 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.