Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation

White Gambit

Source Lichess

Tough Sell-9%
All Ratings
Minimum Advantage-8.5%

White loses more often than wins at this level

Rating TrendPeak: -4.8% at 1800-1999
Win%48.2%
Games663
Breakpoint (Overall)1200-1399
4.Nf3
Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua VariationWhite Gambit
Rating
Time Control

Does Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation gives White a -8.5% minimum advantage (90% confidence). This gambit underperforms at this level.

RatingMin AdvWhite WinDrawWhite LossGames
1200-1399-30.9%42.6%3.9%53.5%63
1400-1599-23.1%46.3%1.7%52.0%86
1600-1799-16.8%47.2%0.8%52.0%186
1800-1999-4.8%53.4%1.6%44.9%151
2000-2199-8.0%55.7%0.8%43.5%64
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation sound?

The Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation breaks at 1200-1399 overall (all time controls)—the first rating bracket where White no longer statistically wins more than loses. Below this rating, the gambit is viable for White. Note: breakpoints vary by time control—use the filters above for specific data.

What is the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation win rate?

The Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation has a 48.2% (90% CI: 45.0%-51.4%) win rate for White overall, with a 1.4% draw rate and 50.3% loss rate. This is based on 663 games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation?

The Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation performs best at 1800-1999, where White has a minimum advantage of +-4.8%. This means we're 90% confident White wins at least -4.8 percentage points more than they lose at this rating.

Is the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation better in blitz or rapid?

Bullet (+-3.1% edge) outperforms Blitz (+-27.0% edge) by 23.9 percentage points. Faster time controls typically favor gambits because opponents have less time to find accurate defenses.

Does the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation breakpoint vary by time control?

Yes, significantly. Breakpoints by time control: Bullet: 1600-1799, Blitz: Never, Rapid: Never, Classical: Never. "Never" means the gambit remains viable through all rating brackets in that time control. Faster time controls typically extend viability.

How sharp is the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation?

The Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation is extremely sharp with only 1.4% draws—98.6% 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 Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation?

If you're below 1200-1399 overall, the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation is statistically favorable for White. Above that rating, opponents defend better and the gambit's edge disappears. Consider your typical opponents' level and the time control—faster games extend the gambit's viability.

How do I defend against the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation?

As Black, the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation becomes easier to defend at 1200-1399 and above. Key principles: accept the material but develop quickly, castle early, trade pieces to reduce attacking potential, and return material at the right moment to neutralize the initiative. In faster time controls, the gambit is harder to defend—consider declining or transposing if you're not prepared.

How reliable is the Van't Kruijs Opening: Keoni-Hiva Gambit, Alua Variation data?

This analysis is based on 663 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.