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Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack

Black Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst+27.0%

Black wins at least 27.0 more of every 100 games than it loses

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: +28.9% at 1800-1999
1200-13992500+
Win%62.4%
Games21K
BreakpointNeverfirst 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 Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack work for Black at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack keeps Black's wins running +27.0% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 21K Lichess games. This gambit is effective. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

RatingEdge at worstBlack WinDrawBlack LossGames
1200-1399+10.8%61.0%0.8%38.2%178
1400-1599+19.6%62.3%1.3%36.4%638
1600-1799+25.4%63.2%2.2%34.6%2.5K
1800-1999+28.9%64.0%2.9%33.1%6.3K
2000-2199+25.7%62.0%3.6%34.4%7.3K
2200-2499+23.0%60.6%4.4%35.0%3.5K
2500++8.3%53.7%9.8%36.5%329
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for Black on the opening stats page
Analyze Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack sound?

The games never stop proving it. Black comes out ahead at every rating we can see.

What is the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack win rate?

Black wins 62.4% of Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack games, draws 3.3% and loses 34.3%. That rests on 21K games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack?

1800-1999. There Black wins at least 28.9 more of every 100 games than it loses (90% confident), its highest Edge at worst.

Is the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack better in blitz or rapid?

Blitz. For Black, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is +27.1% in Blitz (13K games) and +17.8% in Rapid (2.8K games).

Does the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack breakpoint vary by time control?

Yes. The first rating where the games do not show Black coming out ahead is 1200-1399 in Blitz. In Bullet and Rapid, Black comes out ahead at every rating we can see.

How sharp is the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack?

The Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack is extremely sharp: 3.3% of its games are drawn, so 96.7% end with a winner.

Should I play the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack?

Play it. Black comes out ahead at every rating we can see.

How do I defend against the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack?

This one is hard to meet at every level. As White, develop fast, castle early, trade pieces, and do not get greedy with the extra material. If sharp positions are not your game, decline it.

How reliable is the Ruy Lopez: Marshall Attack, Original Marshall Attack data?

This rests on 21K 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.