Does Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense work for White at All Ratings?
Snapshot
At All Ratings, Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense gives White a +18.4% minimum advantage (90% confidence). This gambit is effective.
Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense
White GambitSource Lichess
View As
Play This+18%All Ratings
Minimum Advantage+18.4%
White wins at least 18.4% more often than loses
Rating TrendPeak: +19.0% at 1400-1599
Win%58.0%
Games478K
Breakpoint (Overall)Never
5...Bc5
Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell DefenseWhite Gambit
Rating
Time Control
| Rating | Min Adv | White Win | Draw | White Loss | Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-999 | +15.1% | 56.9% | 2.5% | 40.6% | 17K |
| 1000-1199 | +17.6% | 57.9% | 2.4% | 39.7% | 47K |
| 1200-1399 | +18.2% | 58.2% | 2.4% | 39.4% | 83K |
| 1400-1599 | +19.0% | 58.5% | 2.4% | 39.1% | 111K |
| 1600-1799 | +18.7% | 58.3% | 2.6% | 39.1% | 109K |
| 1800-1999 | +17.2% | 57.5% | 2.8% | 39.7% | 76K |
| 2000-2199 | +15.7% | 56.9% | 2.9% | 40.2% | 29K |
| 2200-2499 | +17.1% | 58.0% | 3.1% | 38.9% | 5.8K |
| 2500+ | +10.1% | 55.4% | 8.3% | 36.3% | 317 |
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense sound?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense 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, McDonnell Defense win rate?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense has a 58.0% (90% CI: 57.9%-58.1%) win rate for White overall, with a 2.5% draw rate and 39.4% loss rate. This is based on 478K games from Lichess.
What is the best rating to play the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense performs best at 1400-1599, where White has a minimum advantage of +19.0%. This means we're 90% confident White wins at least 19.0 percentage points more than they lose at this rating.
Is the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense better in blitz or rapid?
Classical (+26.3% edge) outperforms Bullet (+16.7% edge) by 9.6 percentage points. Faster time controls typically favor gambits because opponents have less time to find accurate defenses.
Does the Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense breakpoint vary by time control?
Yes, significantly. Breakpoints by time control: Bullet: Never, Blitz: Never, Rapid: Never, Classical: 1000-1199. "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, McDonnell Defense?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense is extremely sharp with only 2.5% draws—97.5% 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, McDonnell Defense?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense 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, McDonnell Defense?
The Italian Game: Evans Gambit, McDonnell Defense 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, McDonnell Defense data?
This analysis is based on 478K 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.