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Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit

White Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst+7.1%

White wins at least 7.1 more of every 100 games than it loses

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: +11.8% at 1000-1199
0-9992500+
Win%48.2%
Games123K
BreakpointNeverfirst rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Does Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit keeps White's wins running +7.1% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 123K Lichess games. This gambit is effective. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

RatingEdge at worstWhite WinDrawWhite LossGames
0-999+7.2%55.2%2.7%42.1%771
1000-1199+11.8%55.9%2.9%41.2%3.1K
1200-1399+8.2%53.3%3.5%43.2%8.0K
1400-1599+9.9%53.6%4.1%42.3%14K
1600-1799+8.1%52.5%4.2%43.2%19K
1800-1999+4.7%50.7%4.5%44.9%23K
2000-2199+1.7%48.8%5.2%46.0%23K
2200-2499+4.0%49.3%6.6%44.1%18K
2500++10.0%25.7%59.6%14.6%14K
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit sound?

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

What is the Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit win rate?

White wins 48.2% of Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit games, draws 11.1% and loses 40.7%. That rests on 123K games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit?

1000-1199. There White wins at least 11.8 more of every 100 games than it loses (90% confident), its highest Edge at worst.

Is the Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

About the same. For White, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is +6.3% in Blitz (67K games) and +5.4% in Rapid (18K games).

Does the Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit breakpoint vary by time control?

Yes. The first rating where the games do not show White coming out ahead is 2000-2199 in Rapid and 1400-1599 in Classical. In Bullet and Blitz, White comes out ahead at every rating we can see.

How sharp is the Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit?

The Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit is sharp: 11.1% of its games are drawn, so 88.9% end with a winner.

Should I play the Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit?

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

How do I defend against the Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit?

This one is hard to meet at every level. As Black, 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 Semi-Slav Defense: Anti-Moscow Gambit data?

This rests on 123K 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.