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Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit

39K 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%
Floor53.5%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 54.3%.

Measured over 39K 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 · 39K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
39K
Best context
56.0% at 1400-1599 Blitz
Worst context
51.1% at 2000-2199 Blitz
Average game length
33 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: +7.9% · 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: 47.0% at 0-999, 51.5% 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, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 43.8% expected score (159 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.4% expected score (181 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 45.8% expected score (104 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (487 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 57.9% expected score (341 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 42.7% expected score (108 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (10 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (2,651 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (1,037 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 47.4% expected score (133 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 23.4% expected score (6 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 45.1% expected score (29 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 53.6% expected score (5,740 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 56.0% expected score (2,450 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 48.6% expected score (321 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 35.4% expected score (19 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (7,548 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 55.1% expected score (2,376 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.5% expected score (419 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 55.1% expected score (5,952 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 54.8% expected score (2,024 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 48.9% expected score (138 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (4,173 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 51.1% expected score (774 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 55.5% expected score (26 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 64.3% expected score (2 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 52.5% expected score (1,350 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (14 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 51.5% expected score (587 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Modern Defense
48.7%
Variations (5)
Modern Defense: Two Knights Variation
50.0%
Modern Defense: Standard Defense
51.3%
Modern Defense: Standard Line
51.9%
Modern Defense: Three Pawns Attack
49.0%
Modern Defense: Geller's System
47.2%
Analyze Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit scores 53.9% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 53.5% and 54.3% — from 39K 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
39K+ 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 Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate?

Playing the Modern Defense: Westermann 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 39K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit perform best?

The Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit performs best for White at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 54.9% (8.1K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 54.6% in Blitz (9.2K games) against 48.8% in Rapid (1.2K games).

How sharp is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit?

The Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit has a sharpness score of 96.8 (very decisive), meaning 96.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 33 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 44.4%, draws 3.5% and loses 52.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 446 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 51.5%, draws 2.1% and loses 46.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 944 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 53.0%, draws 1.8% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 3.8K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 52.9%, draws 2.3% and loses 44.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.1%. It rests on 8.5K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 52.9%, draws 3.4% and loses 43.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 10K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 53.1%, draws 3.5% and loses 43.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.9%. It rests on 8.1K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.1%, draws 4.0% and loses 45.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 5.0K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 50.1%, draws 4.9% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 1.4K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 48.5%, draws 6.0% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.5%. It rests on 587 Lichess games, which average 42 moves.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.6%, draws 2.7% and loses 44.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.0%. It rests on 29K Lichess games.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 52.4%, draws 4.3% and loses 43.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 9.2K Lichess games.

What is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 46.3%, draws 5.0% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 1.2K Lichess games.

Is the Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit a good opening?

The Modern Defense: Westermann Gambit is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 52.3% of its games and loses 44.5%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.