Does Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation work for White at All Ratings?
Snapshot
At All Ratings, Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation gives White a +7.4% minimum advantage (90% confidence). This gambit is effective.
Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation
White GambitSource Lichess
View As
Play This+7%All Ratings
Minimum Advantage+7.4%
White wins at least 7.4% more often than loses
Rating TrendPeak: +7.5% at 2000-2199
Win%52.2%
Games93K
Breakpoint (Overall)Never
8.Bd2
Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding VariationWhite Gambit
Rating
Time Control
| Rating | Min Adv | White Win | Draw | White Loss | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-999 | +6.8% | 53.5% | 2.6% | 43.9% | 3.3K |
| 1000-1199 | +7.0% | 52.7% | 3.1% | 44.1% | 10K |
| 1200-1399 | +6.9% | 52.4% | 3.3% | 44.3% | 19K |
| 1400-1599 | +5.3% | 51.4% | 3.5% | 45.0% | 24K |
| 1600-1799 | +6.9% | 52.2% | 3.7% | 44.1% | 20K |
| 1800-1999 | +7.3% | 52.3% | 4.2% | 43.5% | 12K |
| 2000-2199 | +7.5% | 52.9% | 4.3% | 42.8% | 3.8K |
| 2200-2499 | +5.2% | 53.6% | 3.6% | 42.8% | 846 |
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation sound?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation 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.
What is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation win rate?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation has a 52.2% (90% CI: 51.9%-52.5%) win rate for White overall, with a 3.6% draw rate and 44.2% loss rate. This is based on 93K games from Lichess.
What is the best rating to play the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation performs best at 2000-2199, where White has a minimum advantage of +7.5%. This means we're 90% confident White wins at least 7.5 percentage points more than they lose at this rating.
Is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation better in blitz or rapid?
Rapid (+8.2% edge) outperforms Classical (+2.8% edge) by 5.4 percentage points. Faster time controls typically favor gambits because opponents have less time to find accurate defenses.
Does the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation breakpoint vary by time control?
Yes, significantly. Breakpoints by time control: Bullet: Never, Blitz: Never, Rapid: 0-999, Classical: 1200-1399. "Never" means the gambit remains viable through all rating brackets in that time control. Faster time controls typically extend viability.
How sharp is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation is extremely sharp with only 3.6% draws—96.4% of games end decisively. This makes it an excellent choice when you need to play for a win rather than accept a draw.
Should I play the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation 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.
How do I defend against the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation 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.
How reliable is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, Harding Variation data?
This analysis is based on 93K 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.