Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit

White Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst−0.1%

White isn't shown winning more often than losing at this level

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: +5.8% at 2500+
0-9992500+
Win%48.8%
Games253K
Breakpoint1000-1199first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
2.e4
Rating
Rating
Time Control
Time

Does Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit keeps White's wins running −0.1% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 253K Lichess games. The games don't show this gambit paying at this level. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

RatingEdge at worstWhite WinDrawWhite LossGames
0-999+3.5%51.2%2.7%46.2%12K
1000-1199−1.2%49.0%2.0%49.0%18K
1200-1399−2.1%48.5%1.9%49.6%26K
1400-1599−3.7%47.6%1.9%50.5%40K
1600-1799−3.1%47.7%2.2%50.1%48K
1800-1999−1.2%48.5%2.6%48.9%51K
2000-2199+3.4%50.5%3.1%46.3%36K
2200-2499+3.6%50.2%4.4%45.4%19K
2500++5.8%52.1%5.0%42.9%2.4K
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit sound?

At some ratings. White comes out ahead at 0-999 and 2000+; 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 Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate?

White wins 48.8% of Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit games, draws 2.6% and loses 48.6%. That rests on 253K games from Lichess.

What is the best rating to play the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit?

2500+. There White wins at least 5.8 more of every 100 games than it loses (90% confident), its highest Edge at worst.

Is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

Blitz. For White, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is +2.1% in Blitz (88K games) and +1.1% in Rapid (13K games).

Does the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit breakpoint vary by time control?

Yes. The first rating where the games do not show White coming out ahead is 1000-1199 in Bullet, 0-999 in Blitz, 1000-1199 in Rapid and 1400-1599 in Classical.

How sharp is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit?

The Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit is extremely sharp: 2.6% of its games are drawn, so 97.4% end with a winner.

Should I play the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit?

At 0-999 and 2000+, 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 Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn 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 0-999 and 2000+, 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 Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit data?

This rests on 253K 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.