Source Lichess
White wins at least 7.2% more often than loses
At All Ratings, French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit gives White a +7.2% minimum advantage (90% confidence). This gambit is effective.
| Rating | Min Adv | White Win | Draw | White Loss | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-999 | +0.0% | 51.7% | 3.6% | 44.6% | 535 |
| 1000-1199 | +4.4% | 52.8% | 3.0% | 44.2% | 1.5K |
| 1200-1399 | +1.1% | 50.4% | 3.2% | 46.4% | 3.2K |
| 1400-1599 | +1.0% | 50.0% | 3.4% | 46.6% | 4.6K |
| 1600-1799 | +5.5% | 51.9% | 3.7% | 44.3% | 6.0K |
| 1800-1999 | +8.6% | 53.0% | 4.3% | 42.7% | 9.9K |
| 2000-2199 | +6.2% | 50.9% | 5.7% | 43.5% | 18K |
| 2200-2499 | +6.1% | 49.9% | 7.3% | 42.8% | 27K |
| 2500+ | +10.1% | 52.1% | 7.7% | 40.1% | 7.0K |
The French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit has no overall breakpoint in Lichess data, meaning White wins more than loses even at the highest rating brackets across all time controls. This is a statistically sound gambit at all levels analyzed.
The French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit has a 51.0% (90% CI: 50.7%-51.3%) win rate for White overall, with a 5.8% draw rate and 43.3% loss rate. This is based on 77K games from Lichess.
The French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit performs best at 2500+, where White has a minimum advantage of +10.1%. This means we're 90% confident White wins at least 10.1 percentage points more than they lose at this rating.
Blitz (+6.9% edge) outperforms Classical (+-15.5% edge) by 22.4 percentage points. Faster time controls typically favor gambits because opponents have less time to find accurate defenses.
Yes, significantly. Breakpoints by time control: Bullet: 0-999, Blitz: 0-999, Rapid: 0-999, Classical: 1400-1599. "Never" means the gambit remains viable through all rating brackets in that time control. Faster time controls typically extend viability.
The French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit is very sharp with only 5.8% draws—94.2% of games end decisively. This makes it an excellent choice when you need to play for a win rather than accept a draw.
The French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit is viable at all rating levels in Lichess data. White maintains a statistical edge throughout. It's an excellent choice if you enjoy sharp, initiative-based play.
The French Defense: Winawer Variation, Alekhine-Maróczy Gambit is statistically challenging to defend at all levels. As Black, focus on quick development, early castling, and piece trades. Don't get greedy with extra material. Consider declining the gambit or finding a transposition if you're uncomfortable with sharp positions.
This analysis is based on 77K games from Lichess. All statistics include 90% confidence intervals. Generally, 300+ games provide statistically meaningful results. Rating-specific and time-control-specific breakdowns have their own sample sizes shown in the table above.