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Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit

White Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst−4.8%

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

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: −0.4% at 2500+
0-9992500+
Win%46.0%
Games141K
Breakpoint0-999first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Does Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit work for White at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit keeps White's wins running −4.8% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 141K 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
0-999−10.5%46.3%1.7%52.0%1.2K
1000-1199−9.6%45.7%2.2%52.1%2.6K
1200-1399−8.0%46.1%1.9%52.0%6.4K
1400-1599−9.8%44.8%2.2%53.1%12K
1600-1799−8.1%45.3%2.5%52.2%22K
1800-1999−7.2%45.3%3.2%51.5%27K
2000-2199−4.4%46.3%4.0%49.7%29K
2200-2499−2.7%46.8%4.6%48.6%32K
2500+−0.4%47.3%6.8%45.9%9.1K
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for White on the opening stats page
Analyze Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit sound?

Not shown to be. White does not come out ahead at any rating we can see: its best Edge at worst, at 2500+, is −0.4%.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit win rate?

White wins 46.0% of Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit games, draws 3.6% and loses 50.4%. That rests on 141K games from Lichess.

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

No rating in these games shows it paying. White's Edge at worst is highest at 2500+: −0.4%, how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident.

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

Blitz. For White, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is −8.9% in Blitz (18K games) and −14.6% in Rapid (2.1K games). In neither do the games show White winning more than losing.

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

No. The first rating where the games do not show White coming out ahead is 0-999 in Bullet, 0-999 in Blitz and 0-999 in Rapid.

How sharp is the Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit?

The Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit is extremely sharp: 3.6% of its games are drawn, so 96.4% end with a winner.

Should I play the Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit?

Not for the results: White does not come out ahead at any rating we can see.

How do I defend against the Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit?

As Black, take the material, then develop fast, castle early, and trade pieces. Give the material back when doing so kills the attack. White does not come out ahead with it at any rating we can see.

How reliable is the Zukertort Opening: Speelsmet Gambit data?

This rests on 141K 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.