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Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit

Black Gambit

Source Lichess

You play
Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level
All Ratings
Edge at worst−3.5%

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

how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident

Rating TrendPeak: −0.3% at 1800-1999
0-9992500+
Win%46.5%
Games582K
Breakpoint0-999first rating it isn't shown winning more than losing
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Does Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit work for Black at All Ratings?

Snapshot

At All Ratings, Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit keeps Black's wins running −3.5% ahead of its losses at worst, 90% confident, from 582K 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 worstBlack WinDrawBlack LossGames
0-999−10.0%43.0%4.6%52.4%48K
1000-1199−9.0%44.1%3.6%52.4%53K
1200-1399−6.8%45.2%3.4%51.4%67K
1400-1599−4.8%46.3%3.2%50.5%79K
1600-1799−2.2%47.5%3.4%49.1%90K
1800-1999−0.3%48.2%3.8%48.0%106K
2000-2199−1.8%47.5%3.8%48.8%85K
2200-2499−2.3%47.0%4.6%48.5%44K
2500+−1.1%47.6%5.5%46.9%8.2K
Full Opening StatsSee rating/time-control breakdowns for Black on the opening stats page
Analyze Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit PositionsGet move-by-move win rates with the TrueElo analyzer

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit sound?

Not shown to be. Black does not come out ahead at any rating we can see: its best Edge at worst, at 1800-1999, is −0.3%.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit win rate?

Black wins 46.5% of Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit games, draws 3.7% and loses 49.8%. That rests on 582K games from Lichess.

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

No rating in these games shows it paying. Black's Edge at worst is highest at 1800-1999: −0.3%, how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident.

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

Blitz. For Black, the Edge at worst — how far wins run ahead of losses, 90% confident — is −5.9% in Blitz (178K games) and −11.4% in Rapid (39K games). In neither do the games show Black winning more than losing.

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

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

How sharp is the Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit?

The Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit is extremely sharp: 3.7% of its games are drawn, so 96.3% end with a winner.

Should I play the Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit?

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

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

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

How reliable is the Zukertort Opening: Vos Gambit data?

This rests on 582K 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.