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Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation

39K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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6.Qxd4
Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

48.3%

40%55%
Floor47.9%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 48.7%.

Measured over 39K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.

Outcomes for White

Draw 5.0 · 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
50.5% at 1200-1399 Blitz
Worst context
45.4% at 1800-1999 Rapid
Average game length
35 moves
Games that end decisively
95.0%
Draws
5.0%

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: −4.1% · 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 holds about the same all the way up, near 49.0%.

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: 55.6% expected score (61 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (42 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 41.3% expected score (10 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (363 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (266 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 34.3% expected score (40 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 49.2% expected score (972 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.5% expected score (910 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 42.4% expected score (143 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 39.7% expected score (13 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 47.6% expected score (2,131 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 48.3% expected score (2,229 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (438 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 34.9% expected score (15 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 61.2% expected score (12 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (3,866 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 48.9% expected score (3,943 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 48.4% expected score (812 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 47.1% expected score (33 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 32.4% expected score (7 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.6% expected score (5,688 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (4,344 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 45.4% expected score (945 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 35.3% expected score (46 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (5,063 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.0% expected score (1,981 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 47.0% expected score (466 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 71.8% expected score (10 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 48.8% expected score (3,065 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 47.9% expected score (539 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 42.8% expected score (75 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 50.7% expected score (441 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 46.0% expected score (48 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (3 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Queen's Gambit Declined
50.9%
Variations (5)
Queen's Gambit Declined: Marshall Defense
52.8%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Queen's Knight Variation
52.8%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Chigorin Defense
53.3%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Baltic Defense
52.3%
Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense
50.4%
Analyze Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation scores 48.3% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 47.9% and 48.7% — 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 Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate?

Playing the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation, White wins 45.8%, draws 5.0% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 39K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation perform best?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation performs best for White at 1000-1199, with an Expected Score of 51.1% (669 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 48.3% in Blitz (14K games) against 46.8% in Rapid (2.9K games).

How sharp is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation has a sharpness score of 95.0 (very decisive), meaning 95.0% of games end decisively. Average game length is 35 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 50.2%, draws 3.9% and loses 45.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 113 Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 50.0%, draws 2.2% and loses 47.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 669 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 47.6%, draws 3.3% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.3%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 46.2%, draws 3.7% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 4.8K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 46.2%, draws 5.0% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.7%. It rests on 8.7K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 45.2%, draws 5.4% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 11K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 45.1%, draws 5.7% and loses 49.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 7.5K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 45.9%, draws 5.2% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 3.7K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 45.7%, draws 9.0% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.2%. It rests on 492 Lichess games, which average 39 moves.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 46.5%, draws 4.2% and loses 49.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 22K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 45.3%, draws 6.0% and loses 48.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.3%. It rests on 14K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 43.5%, draws 6.5% and loses 50.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 2.9K Lichess games.

What is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 39.2%, draws 6.0% and loses 54.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.2%. It rests on 107 Lichess games.

Is the Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation a good opening?

The Queen's Gambit Declined: Pseudo-Tarrasch Variation, Primitive Pillsbury Variation is hard work for White — it favours Black. Across all ratings, White wins 45.8% of its games and loses 49.2%. It performs best at 1000-1199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.