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Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit

1.3M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

53.9%

45%60%
Floor53.8%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.0%.

Measured over 1.3M games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 3.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.3M games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
1.3M
Best context
55.7% at 1200-1399 Bullet
Worst context
51.4% at 2200-2499 Blitz
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
96.8%
Draws
3.2%

Best and worst are the strongest and weakest squares with at least 500 games behind them. The table further down shows every square, including thinner ones.

Extra Analysis

Deep-dive datasets for this opening

Gambit BreakpointWhite

Peak: +8.3% · Breakpoint: Never

Where it holds · White score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for White, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 55.0% at 0-999, 50.8% at 2500+.

RatingUBBulleBlitzRapidClass
0-999
1000-1199
1200-1399
1400-1599
1600-1799
1800-1999
2000-2199
2200-2499
2500+——

Expected score matrix by rating bracket and time control

  • 0-999 rating, UltraBullet: 57.9% expected score (43 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 54.0% expected score (10,644 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 52.4% expected score (11,867 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 51.8% expected score (8,141 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 58.8% expected score (67 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 52.8% expected score (72 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 55.5% expected score (30,141 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (33,825 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.6% expected score (13,789 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 49.3% expected score (265 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 47.0% expected score (83 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (51,111 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 53.1% expected score (77,372 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 52.5% expected score (23,606 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 51.6% expected score (642 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 56.3% expected score (86 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 55.5% expected score (70,526 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.3% expected score (129,680 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (39,905 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 52.6% expected score (1,578 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 53.9% expected score (24 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 55.1% expected score (75,167 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 54.3% expected score (177,262 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.6% expected score (52,894 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 51.6% expected score (2,167 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 83.4% expected score (9 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (62,001 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 54.0% expected score (156,975 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.2% expected score (54,283 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 53.5% expected score (1,505 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 44.2% expected score (7 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (37,508 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 52.9% expected score (68,858 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (20,103 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 54.9% expected score (294 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.1% expected score (18,718 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 51.4% expected score (12,627 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 53.1% expected score (2,735 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 57.1% expected score (27 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (2,997 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 48.2% expected score (386 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 51.6% expected score (30 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Italian Game
55.0%
Variations (5)
Italian Game: Anti-Fried Liver Defense
51.3%
Italian Game: Paris Defense
50.2%
Italian Game: Giuoco Piano
47.0%
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Modern Bishop's Opening
50.6%
Italian Game: Giuoco Pianissimo, Normal
49.3%
Analyze Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit scores 53.9% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.8% and 54.0% — from 1.3M Lichess games. Win rate, draw rate and loss rate come from games played December 2023 to November 2025.

How the figures are made
Whose games these are
1.3M+ rated games played on Lichess (2023-12 to 2025-11). The games are Lichess’s and free for anyone to use. What is ours is the reading of them. Last rebuilt January 2026.
Which games we count
  • Rated games only — nothing casual.
  • Both players within 200 rating points of each other. A mismatch tells you about the gap, not about the opening.
  • At least 2 moves played.
  • A game is filed under White’s rating.
Why every number comes with a range
A number off a few hundred games is a guess. The same number off millions is a fact. The range is what tells them apart, and it is what the lists rank on — so an opening cannot reach the top on a lucky run of forty games. The more games behind a figure, the narrower its range.
How much we need before we say anything
An opening page needs 100 games. A gambit needs 50 games at a rating before we will say whether it pays there. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games overall and 250 games at one rating or clock.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate?

Playing the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit, White wins 52.3%, draws 3.2% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 1.3M rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit perform best?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit performs best for White at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 54.3% (308K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 53.8% in Blitz (669K games) against 53.3% in Rapid (215K games).

How sharp is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit has a sharpness score of 96.8 (very decisive), meaning 96.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 51.4%, draws 2.7% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.8%. It rests on 31K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 52.7%, draws 2.4% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 78K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 52.7%, draws 2.4% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 153K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.9%, draws 2.6% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 242K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 52.8%, draws 3.0% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 308K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 52.0%, draws 3.7% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 275K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.9%, draws 4.4% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.1%. It rests on 127K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 49.2%, draws 5.5% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 34K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 49.0%, draws 6.3% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 3.4K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 53.8%, draws 0.5% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 325 Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 53.5%, draws 2.1% and loses 44.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 359K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 52.0%, draws 3.5% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.8%. It rests on 669K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 51.3%, draws 4.0% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 215K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 49.9%, draws 5.0% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 6.5K Lichess games.

Is the Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit a good opening?

The Italian Game: Classical Variation, Albin Gambit is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 52.3% of its games and loses 44.5%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.