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Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit

183K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

49.6%

45%55%
Floor49.4%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 49.8%.

Measured over 183K 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 Black

Draw 5.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 183K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
183K
Best context
56.3% at 1600-1799 Bullet
Worst context
29.9% at 1400-1599 Classical
Average game length
32 moves
Games that end decisively
94.3%
Draws
5.7%

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: +9.3% · Breakpoint: 0-999

Traps & Chaos

Complexity: 91.9 · Trap factor: −0.3 · 183K games

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 20.0% · Classical best · UltraBullet worst

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 gets better as the rating rises: 43.7% at 0-999, 47.1% 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: 62.3% expected score (23 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 51.6% expected score (5,162 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 41.5% expected score (7,647 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 36.0% expected score (8,725 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 27.1% expected score (116 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 52.2% expected score (21 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (5,985 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 45.7% expected score (9,114 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 37.2% expected score (6,806 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 28.2% expected score (290 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 63.8% expected score (24 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 54.8% expected score (7,831 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (11,222 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 41.5% expected score (6,493 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 28.1% expected score (431 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 40.4% expected score (35 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.9% expected score (7,048 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 50.8% expected score (13,189 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 45.6% expected score (7,293 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 29.9% expected score (778 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 56.3% expected score (6,405 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 52.1% expected score (13,351 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 47.8% expected score (5,779 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 37.8% expected score (420 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 54.7% expected score (5,371 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.7% expected score (13,206 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 49.0% expected score (3,288 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 51.9% expected score (209 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 76.7% expected score (6 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (4,468 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 55.2% expected score (10,568 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 52.4% expected score (2,484 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 55.1% expected score (126 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 55.6% expected score (5,408 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.5% expected score (8,550 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 54.6% expected score (1,547 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 45.5% expected score (43 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (2,148 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 46.2% expected score (1,398 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 39.1% expected score (95 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Classical: 31.8% expected score (4 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Petrov's Defense
49.1%
Variations (5)
Petrov's Defense: Three Knights Game
50.2%
Petrov's Defense: Italian Variation
50.9%
Petrov's Defense: Stafford Gambit
46.5%
Petrov's Defense: Modern Attack
51.5%
Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation
58.6%
Analyze Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit scores 49.6% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.4% and 49.8% — from 183K 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
183K+ 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 Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate?

Playing the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit, Black wins 46.7%, draws 5.7% and loses 47.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.6%. It rests on 183K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit perform best?

The Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 54.9% (18K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 50.4% in Blitz (88K games) against 42.9% in Rapid (43K games).

How sharp is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit?

The Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit has a sharpness score of 94.3 (decisive), meaning 94.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 32 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 39.4%, draws 4.5% and loses 56.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.6%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 43.0%, draws 3.9% and loses 53.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.9%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.6%, draws 3.9% and loses 49.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 47.7%, draws 4.4% and loses 48.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.9%. It rests on 28K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 49.3%, draws 5.2% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.9%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 49.5%, draws 6.3% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 51.1%, draws 7.5% and loses 41.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.9%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 49.0%, draws 10.5% and loses 40.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.3%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 39.0%, draws 16.8% and loses 44.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.4%. It rests on 3.6K Lichess games, which average 46 moves.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black wins 55.5%, draws 2.0% and loses 42.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.5%. It rests on 122 Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 52.3%, draws 4.0% and loses 43.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.4%. It rests on 50K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 47.2%, draws 6.4% and loses 46.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.4%. It rests on 88K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 39.9%, draws 6.0% and loses 54.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.9%. It rests on 43K Lichess games.

What is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate in Classical?

In Classical, Black wins 30.5%, draws 7.0% and loses 62.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 34.0%. It rests on 2.4K Lichess games.

Is the Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit a good opening?

The Petrov's Defense: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 46.7% of its games and loses 47.6%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.