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English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit

Black Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst−30.2%

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

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: −28.7% at 1000-1199
0-9991800-1999
Win%37.0%
Games741
Breakpoint0-999first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Does English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit work for Black at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit keeps Black's wins running −30.2% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 741 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
0-999−49.8%32.1%6.4%61.5%53
1000-1199−28.7%42.6%1.3%56.1%110
1200-1399−43.9%33.3%1.6%65.1%159
1400-1599−40.1%34.5%1.8%63.7%197
1600-1799−35.0%38.0%1.6%60.4%155
1800-1999−38.7%39.8%2.7%57.5%55
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for Black on the opening stats page
Analyze English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit sound?

Not shown to be. Black does not come out ahead at any rating we can see: its best Edge at worst, at 1000-1199, is −28.7%.

What is the English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit win rate?

Black wins 37.0% of English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit games, draws 1.7% and loses 61.3%. That rests on 741 games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit?

No rating in these games shows it paying. Black's Edge at worst is highest at 1000-1199: −28.7%, how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident.

Is the English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

Blitz. For Black, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is −28.6% in Blitz (387 games) and −46.7% in Rapid (210 games). In neither do the games show Black winning more than losing.

Does the English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit breakpoint vary by time control?

Yes. The first rating where the games do not show Black coming out ahead is 1000-1199 in Blitz and 1200-1399 in Rapid.

How sharp is the English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit?

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

Should I play the English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit?

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

How do I defend against the English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer 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 English Opening: King's English, Erbenheimer Gambit data?

This rests on 741 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.