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King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack

732 games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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3.Qh5
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

54.9%

45%65%
Floor51.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 57.9%.

Measured over 732 games at this level and clock.

Playablewins about as often as it loses at this level

A strong choice for White at this level and clock.

Outcomes for White

Draw 3.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 732 games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
732
Best context
not measured yet
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
96.4%
Draws
3.6%

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: +11.2% · Breakpoint: 0-999

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: 35.2% at 0-999, 70.5% 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, Bullet: 34.9% expected score (15 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 33.7% expected score (26 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 42.2% expected score (24 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 78.6% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 65.8% expected score (8 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 42.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 40.4% expected score (14 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 60.3% expected score (18 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (5 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 38.5% expected score (29 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 59.7% expected score (45 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 55.3% expected score (8 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 57.4% expected score (46 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 62.2% expected score (56 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 13.7% expected score (4 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 59.6% expected score (145 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.4% expected score (109 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 59.6% expected score (9 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 59.1% expected score (26 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 63.2% expected score (97 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 78.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 63.1% expected score (10 games)

Related Openings

Variations (5)
King's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Defense
50.8%
King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation
49.4%
King's Gambit Declined: Petrov's Defense
50.6%
King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Blackburne Attack
48.5%
King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit Accepted
53.9%
Analyze King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack scores 54.9% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 51.9% and 57.9% — from 732 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
732+ 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 before we will say where it stops working. The chaos and trap lists need 500 games.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack win rate?

The King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack scores 54.9% (range, 90% confident: 51.9% – 57.9%) for White, based on 732 rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack perform best?

The King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack performs best at 2200-2499, where it scores 62.8% for White (124 games). It tends to score less at higher ratings as opponents know the theory better.

Is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack better in blitz or rapid?

For White, Blitz (56.3%) outperforms Rapid (48.4%). Choose your time control wisely.

How sharp is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack?

The King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack has a sharpness score of 96.4 (very decisive), meaning 96.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack scores 57.9% (range, 90% confident: 50.1% – 65.6%) for White, based on 106 Lichess games. Average game length is 34 moves with a 3.3% draw rate.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack scores 56.3% (range, 90% confident: 51.2% – 61.2%) for White, based on 263 Lichess games. Average game length is 33 moves with a 2.5% draw rate.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack scores 62.8% (range, 90% confident: 55.6% – 69.7%) for White, based on 124 Lichess games. Average game length is 35 moves with a 8.4% draw rate.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet games, the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack scores 55.5% (range, 90% confident: 50.7% – 60.2%) for White (292 Lichess games). Draw rate is 1.5%.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz games, the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack scores 56.3% (range, 90% confident: 52.1% – 60.4%) for White (375 Lichess games). Draw rate is 4.9%.

Is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack a good opening?

The King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack is about level with a 53.1% (range, 90% confident: 50.1% – 56.1%) win rate across all ratings. It performs best at 2200-2499. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.