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Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit

White Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst+15.1%

White wins at least 15.1 more of every 100 games than it loses

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: +19.1% at 1400-1599
1200-13992500+
Win%55.9%
Games16K
Breakpoint1200-1399first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Does Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit keeps White's wins running +15.1% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 16K 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
1200-1399−25.4%47.7%0.9%51.4%54
1400-1599+19.1%62.4%2.5%35.1%376
1600-1799+16.9%59.4%2.3%38.3%1.5K
1800-1999+12.7%55.8%3.6%40.6%4.1K
2000-2199+12.1%54.9%4.5%40.6%5.3K
2200-2499+13.5%55.0%6.1%38.9%4.3K
2500++18.7%59.6%5.6%34.8%670
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit sound?

At some ratings. White comes out ahead at 1400+; at the other ratings we can see, the games do not show it paying. Where it pays changes with the clock, so set yours above and look again.

What is the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit win rate?

White wins 55.9% of Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit games, draws 4.4% and loses 39.6%. That rests on 16K games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit?

1400-1599. There White wins at least 19.1 more of every 100 games than it loses (90% confident), its highest Edge at worst.

Is the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

Blitz. For White, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is +14.5% in Blitz (9.6K games) and +13.1% in Rapid (3.1K games).

Does the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit breakpoint vary by time control?

Yes. The first rating where the games do not show White coming out ahead is 1800-1999 in Classical. In Bullet, Blitz and Rapid, White comes out ahead at every rating we can see.

How sharp is the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit?

The Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit is extremely sharp: 4.4% of its games are drawn, so 95.6% end with a winner.

Should I play the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit?

At 1400+, where White comes out ahead. At the other ratings we can see, the games do not show it paying. Where it pays changes with the clock, so set yours above and look again.

How do I defend against the Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double 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 1400+, 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 Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation, Basman-Palatnik Double Gambit data?

This rests on 16K 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.