Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line

White Gambit

Source Lichess

Playable-1%
All Ratings
Minimum Advantage-0.9%

White loses more often than wins at this level

Rating TrendPeak: +9.3% at 2500+
Win%47.8%
Games405K
Breakpoint (Overall)0-999
3...d5
Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main LineWhite Gambit
Rating
Time Control

Does Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line gives White a -0.9% minimum advantage (90% confidence). This gambit underperforms at this level.

RatingMin AdvWhite WinDrawWhite LossGames
0-999-3.0%47.9%3.0%49.1%8.1K
1000-1199-4.1%47.3%2.5%50.2%18K
1200-1399-5.3%46.5%2.5%50.9%35K
1400-1599-4.7%46.6%2.9%50.5%56K
1600-1799-2.8%47.2%3.4%49.4%70K
1800-1999-0.9%47.9%3.9%48.2%82K
2000-2199+0.0%48.1%4.4%47.5%74K
2200-2499+3.2%49.2%5.4%45.3%52K
2500++9.3%52.0%7.0%41.0%9.5K
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line sound?

The Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line breaks at 0-999 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 Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line win rate?

The Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line has a 47.8% (90% CI: 47.6%-47.9%) win rate for White overall, with a 3.8% draw rate and 48.4% loss rate. This is based on 405K games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line?

The Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line performs best at 2500+, where White has a minimum advantage of +9.3%. This means we're 90% confident White wins at least 9.3 percentage points more than they lose at this rating.

Is the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line better in blitz or rapid?

Bullet (+1.6% edge) outperforms UltraBullet (+-11.5% edge) by 13.1 percentage points. Faster time controls typically favor gambits because opponents have less time to find accurate defenses.

Does the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line breakpoint vary by time control?

Yes, significantly. Breakpoints by time control: Bullet: 0-999, Blitz: 0-999, Rapid: 0-999, Classical: 1200-1399. "Never" means the gambit remains viable through all rating brackets in that time control. Faster time controls typically extend viability.

How sharp is the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line?

The Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line is extremely sharp with only 3.8% draws—96.2% 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 Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line?

If you're below 0-999 overall, the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line 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 Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line?

As Black, the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line becomes easier to defend at 0-999 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 Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line data?

This analysis is based on 405K 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.