Skip to content
TrueEloPlay what wins.
Score a position

King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line

379K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
h8
g
f
e
d
c
b
a
3...e4
Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

53.0%

45%60%
Floor52.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 53.2%.

Measured over 379K games at this level and clock.

Play Thiswins clearly more often than it loses at this level

A strong choice for Black at this level and clock.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 2.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 379K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
379K
Best context
56.2% at 1600-1799 Classical
Worst context
47.2% at 2200-2499 Blitz
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
97.1%
Draws
2.9%

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 BreakpointBlack

Peak: +7.6% · Breakpoint: 0-999

Where it holds · Black score by rating × clock

Green is clearly ahead for Black, grey is around even, red is behind. Tap a cell to measure there, and again to clear. It falls away as the rating rises: 59.4% at 0-999, 40.7% 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: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 54.3% expected score (550 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 54.8% expected score (334 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 58.6% expected score (104 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (1,788 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.8% expected score (1,484 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 52.3% expected score (325 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 83.4% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (5,052 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 51.8% expected score (6,278 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 53.2% expected score (1,042 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 69.6% expected score (24 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 67.4% expected score (10 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.0% expected score (11,698 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 53.4% expected score (26,305 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 53.9% expected score (4,014 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.6% expected score (123 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 46.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 53.4% expected score (18,410 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 53.8% expected score (74,714 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 53.4% expected score (14,027 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 56.2% expected score (629 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 53.0% expected score (20,135 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (94,804 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 53.6% expected score (21,942 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 54.6% expected score (578 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.0% expected score (12,727 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.7% expected score (41,830 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.5% expected score (8,214 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 57.8% expected score (102 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.8% expected score (4,533 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (6,030 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 49.3% expected score (759 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 50.8% expected score (368 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 43.3% expected score (80 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 36.7% expected score (6 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: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line scores 53.0% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 52.9% and 53.2% — from 379K 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
379K+ 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 King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate?

Playing the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line, Black wins 51.6%, draws 2.9% and loses 45.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 379K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line perform best?

The King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line performs best for Black at 1600-1799, with an Expected Score of 53.7% (108K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 53.0% in Blitz (252K games) against 53.3% in Rapid (50K games).

How sharp is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line?

The King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line has a sharpness score of 97.1 (very decisive), meaning 97.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 54.1%, draws 1.8% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.0%. It rests on 989 Lichess games, which average 22 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 52.2%, draws 1.3% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.9%. It rests on 3.6K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 51.4%, draws 1.7% and loses 46.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.3%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 52.6%, draws 2.0% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 42K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 52.4%, draws 2.5% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.7%. It rests on 108K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 51.7%, draws 3.1% and loses 45.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 137K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 50.1%, draws 3.6% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 63K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 47.0%, draws 4.3% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.2%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 46.5%, draws 5.1% and loses 48.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 458 Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 52.1%, draws 1.8% and loses 46.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 75K Lichess games.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 51.4%, draws 3.0% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.0%. It rests on 252K Lichess games.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 51.5%, draws 3.6% and loses 44.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.3%. It rests on 50K Lichess games.

What is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 53.9%, draws 3.9% and loses 42.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.8%. It rests on 1.5K Lichess games.

Is the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line a good opening?

The King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line is good for Black. Across all ratings, Black wins 51.6% of its games and loses 45.6%. It performs best at 1600-1799. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.