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Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit

White Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst−2.6%

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

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: +6.7% at 2500+
0-9992500+
Win%47.1%
Games770K
Breakpoint0-999first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Rating
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Time Control
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Does Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit keeps White's wins running −2.6% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 770K 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
0-999−9.5%44.1%3.1%52.8%44K
1000-1199−5.6%46.1%2.9%51.1%85K
1200-1399−3.6%47.0%2.9%50.1%126K
1400-1599−3.7%46.8%3.1%50.1%151K
1600-1799−2.3%47.4%3.5%49.1%142K
1800-1999−1.3%47.7%3.8%48.5%113K
2000-2199−0.7%47.9%4.1%48.0%68K
2200-2499+2.7%49.4%4.8%45.8%36K
2500++6.7%51.6%5.7%42.7%5.4K
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit sound?

At some ratings. White comes out ahead at 2200+; at the other ratings we can see, the games do not show it paying.

What is the Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit win rate?

White wins 47.1% of Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit games, draws 3.4% and loses 49.5%. That rests on 770K games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit?

2500+. There White wins at least 6.7 more of every 100 games than it loses (90% confident), its highest Edge at worst.

Is the Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

Blitz. For White, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is −4.1% in Blitz (265K games) and −7.6% in Rapid (69K games). In neither do the games show White winning more than losing.

Does the Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit breakpoint vary by time control?

No. The first rating where the games do not show White coming out ahead is 0-999 in Bullet, 0-999 in Blitz, 0-999 in Rapid and 0-999 in Classical.

How sharp is the Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit?

The Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit is extremely sharp: 3.4% of its games are drawn, so 96.6% end with a winner.

Should I play the Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit?

At 2200+, where White comes out ahead. At the other ratings we can see, the games do not show it paying.

How do I defend against the Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit?

As Black, take the material, then develop fast, castle early, and trade pieces. Give the material back when doing so kills the attack. At 2200+, 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 Pirc Defense: Roscher Gambit data?

This rests on 770K 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.