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Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation

White Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst−6.4%

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

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: +2.9% at 2500+
1000-11992500+
Win%45.9%
Games6.0K
Breakpoint1000-1199first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Does Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation keeps White's wins running −6.4% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 6.0K 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
1000-1199−12.6%49.3%1.5%49.3%168
1200-1399−14.7%44.6%2.7%52.7%609
1400-1599−5.6%48.6%2.3%49.0%999
1600-1799−7.7%46.6%3.4%49.9%1.4K
1800-1999−12.4%44.4%3.6%52.0%1.2K
2000-2199−10.6%45.3%4.9%49.8%730
2200-2499−14.0%42.6%6.9%50.6%735
2500++2.9%53.0%9.8%37.1%156
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation sound?

At some ratings. White comes out ahead at 2500+; at the other ratings we can see, the games do not show it paying. Where it pays changes with the clock, so set yours above and look again.

What is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation win rate?

White wins 45.9% of Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation games, draws 3.9% and loses 50.2%. That rests on 6.0K games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation?

2500+. There White wins at least 2.9 more of every 100 games than it loses (90% confident), its highest Edge at worst.

Is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation better in blitz or rapid?

Rapid. For White, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is −7.9% in Blitz (3.5K games) and −3.7% in Rapid (1.1K games). In neither do the games show White winning more than losing.

Does the Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation breakpoint vary by time control?

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

How sharp is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation?

The Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation is extremely sharp: 3.9% of its games are drawn, so 96.1% end with a winner.

Should I play the Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation?

At 2500+, where White comes out ahead. At the other ratings we can see, the games do not show it paying. Where it pays changes with the clock, so set yours above and look again.

How do I defend against the Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation?

As Black, take the material, then develop fast, castle early, and trade pieces. Give the material back when doing so kills the attack. At 2500+, White still comes out ahead in these games; at the other ratings we can see, the games do not show the gambit paying.

How reliable is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit Declined, Showalter Variation data?

This rests on 6.0K 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.