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Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation

124K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

55.9%

45%60%
Floor55.7%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 56.1%.

Measured over 124K 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 3.4 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 124K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
124K
Best context
62.8% at 2500+ Bullet
Worst context
52.3% at 1600-1799 Bullet
Average game length
31 moves
Games that end decisively
96.6%
Draws
3.4%

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

Traps & Chaos

Complexity: 92.3 · Trap factor: +17.9 · 124K 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: 55.4% at 0-999, 64.1% 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: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 53.5% expected score (1,589 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 54.5% expected score (4,243 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 54.2% expected score (1,546 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 55.9% expected score (7 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 31.1% expected score (17 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 55.0% expected score (2,589 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 57.2% expected score (6,402 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 58.9% expected score (2,717 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 56.2% expected score (31 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 56.1% expected score (23 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 55.0% expected score (4,233 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 58.6% expected score (7,492 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 61.0% expected score (3,118 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 55.1% expected score (97 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 62.0% expected score (61 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (6,357 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 57.3% expected score (8,611 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 60.5% expected score (2,459 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 57.7% expected score (141 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 56.4% expected score (61 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.3% expected score (10,031 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 57.1% expected score (10,497 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 60.7% expected score (1,863 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 61.1% expected score (98 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 48.1% expected score (50 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (13,506 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 56.5% expected score (10,842 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 58.1% expected score (1,286 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 66.5% expected score (53 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (23 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.3% expected score (10,675 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 58.8% expected score (5,686 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 59.8% expected score (572 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 71.8% expected score (10 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (17 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (5,270 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 60.6% expected score (1,430 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 61.7% expected score (88 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 62.8% expected score (523 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 65.1% expected score (45 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 64.3% expected score (2 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Philidor Defense
50.2%
Variations (5)
Philidor Defense: Exchange Variation
50.5%
Philidor Defense: Lion Variation
45.8%
Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation
46.9%
Philidor Defense: Nimzowitsch Variation
53.4%
Philidor Defense: Morphy Gambit
51.7%
Analyze Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation scores 55.9% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 55.7% and 56.1% — from 124K 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
124K+ 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 Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate?

Playing the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation, White wins 54.2%, draws 3.4% and loses 42.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.9%. It rests on 124K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation perform best?

The Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 63.1% (570 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 57.3% in Blitz (55K games) against 59.4% in Rapid (14K games).

How sharp is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation?

The Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation has a sharpness score of 96.6 (very decisive), meaning 96.6% of games end decisively. Average game length is 31 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 52.4%, draws 3.7% and loses 44.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.2%. It rests on 7.4K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 55.4%, draws 3.4% and loses 41.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.1%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 56.4%, draws 3.3% and loses 40.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.1%. It rests on 15K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 55.0%, draws 2.9% and loses 42.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.5%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 53.7%, draws 3.2% and loses 43.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.3%. It rests on 23K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 52.9%, draws 3.5% and loses 43.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.7%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 53.5%, draws 3.8% and loses 42.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.4%. It rests on 17K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 54.5%, draws 4.4% and loses 41.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.8%. It rests on 6.8K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 59.1%, draws 8.0% and loses 33.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 63.1%. It rests on 570 Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 52.9%, draws 1.3% and loses 45.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 262 Lichess games.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 52.2%, draws 2.8% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 55K Lichess games.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 55.3%, draws 4.0% and loses 40.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.3%. It rests on 55K Lichess games.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 57.4%, draws 4.0% and loses 38.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.4%. It rests on 14K Lichess games.

What is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 57.8%, draws 3.1% and loses 39.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 59.4%. It rests on 437 Lichess games.

Is the Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation a good opening?

The Philidor Defense: Philidor Countergambit, Zukertort Variation is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 54.2% of its games and loses 42.4%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.