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Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line

567K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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5.Nxf7
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.8%

45%55%
Floor50.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 50.9%.

Measured over 567K games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for White

Draw 2.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 567K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
567K
Best context
63.5% at 0-999 Rapid
Worst context
46.4% at 1800-1999 Bullet
Average game length
22 moves
Games that end decisively
97.6%
Draws
2.4%

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: +13.7% · Breakpoint: 1400-1599

Traps & Chaos

Complexity: 94.2 · Trap factor: −8.2 · 567K games

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 gets better as the rating rises: 57.1% at 0-999, 60.4% 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: 43.6% expected score (224 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (20,208 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 54.7% expected score (27,921 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 63.5% expected score (26,629 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 71.3% expected score (217 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 51.9% expected score (444 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.7% expected score (32,425 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (48,057 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.0% expected score (31,688 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 62.2% expected score (814 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 52.1% expected score (487 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (33,351 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.6% expected score (54,547 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 48.8% expected score (36,699 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 56.5% expected score (1,284 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 51.9% expected score (377 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (30,459 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.4% expected score (44,123 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (30,419 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 50.4% expected score (1,701 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 56.0% expected score (57 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (23,056 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.6% expected score (33,534 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (18,359 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 49.8% expected score (1,044 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 53.0% expected score (15 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.4% expected score (14,308 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 46.4% expected score (21,494 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 47.8% expected score (9,689 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 45.8% expected score (401 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 46.9% expected score (7,066 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 46.9% expected score (8,082 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 46.4% expected score (2,580 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 46.6% expected score (72 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 46.4% expected score (3,213 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (1,580 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 49.2% expected score (366 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 56.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 44.8% expected score (294 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.8% expected score (50 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 78.6% expected score (2 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: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line scores 50.8% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.6% and 50.9% — from 567K 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
567K+ 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: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate?

Playing the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line, White wins 49.6%, draws 2.4% and loses 48.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 567K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line perform best?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line performs best for White at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 57.2% (75K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 50.1% in Blitz (239K games) against 51.8% in Rapid (156K games).

How sharp is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line has a sharpness score of 97.6 (very decisive), meaning 97.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 22 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 55.8%, draws 2.8% and loses 41.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.2%. It rests on 75K Lichess games, which average 20 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 50.3%, draws 2.2% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 113K Lichess games, which average 21 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 49.2%, draws 2.1% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 126K Lichess games, which average 22 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 48.9%, draws 2.2% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 107K Lichess games, which average 23 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 47.6%, draws 2.4% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 76K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 45.3%, draws 2.8% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.7%. It rests on 46K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 45.2%, draws 3.1% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 45.0%, draws 4.2% and loses 50.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.1%. It rests on 5.2K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 45.0%, draws 3.9% and loses 51.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.0%. It rests on 346 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 50.3%, draws 1.4% and loses 48.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.0%. It rests on 1.6K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 49.6%, draws 1.8% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 164K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 48.9%, draws 2.4% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 239K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 50.4%, draws 2.8% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 156K Lichess games.

What is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 52.2%, draws 3.3% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 5.5K Lichess games.

Is the Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line a good opening?

The Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Traxler Counterattack, Knight Sacrifice Line is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 49.6% of its games and loses 48.1%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.