Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit
141K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
White expected score · All ratings · All speeds
50.3%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 50.5%.
Measured over 141K games at this level and clock.
Roughly even — the middlegame decides more than this opening choice does.
Outcomes for White
Draw 5.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 141K games
- Rank among the families White can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 141K
- Best context
- 63.5% at 1400-1599 Classical
- Worst context
- 42.9% at 2000-2199 Bullet
- Average game length
- 32 moves
- Games that end decisively
- 94.5%
- Draws
- 5.5%
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
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 55.5%.
| Rating | UB | Bulle | Blitz | Rapid | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: 35.2% expected score (12 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (3,998 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 56.7% expected score (6,464 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 62.0% expected score (5,223 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 73.8% expected score (72 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 53.6% expected score (26 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 46.0% expected score (5,155 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.5% expected score (8,185 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 60.7% expected score (4,897 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 73.5% expected score (218 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 46.6% expected score (13 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 47.1% expected score (5,736 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (10,403 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 57.7% expected score (5,037 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 70.9% expected score (383 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 45.3% expected score (9 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 45.5% expected score (5,241 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (11,618 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 54.6% expected score (5,719 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 63.5% expected score (719 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 42.4% expected score (5 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 44.3% expected score (5,348 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 49.1% expected score (10,009 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 51.1% expected score (4,849 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 61.2% expected score (316 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 59.1% expected score (4 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 44.7% expected score (3,936 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 48.0% expected score (8,604 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 51.3% expected score (3,148 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 54.2% expected score (153 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 57.7% expected score (5 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 42.9% expected score (3,407 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 44.7% expected score (7,586 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 48.9% expected score (1,732 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 50.9% expected score (59 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (3 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 44.3% expected score (3,231 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 45.3% expected score (6,257 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 46.7% expected score (941 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 60.4% expected score (13 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 52.9% expected score (1,128 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (844 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 57.5% expected score (52 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit scores 50.3% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.1% and 50.5% — from 141K 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
- 141K+ 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 Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate?
Playing the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit, White wins 47.5%, draws 5.5% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.3%. It rests on 141K rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit perform best?
The Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit performs best for White at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 56.8% (16K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit better in blitz or rapid?
For White, the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit scores higher in Rapid: an Expected Score of 49.7% in Blitz (70K games) against 55.9% in Rapid (32K games).
How sharp is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit?
The Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit has a sharpness score of 94.5 (decisive), meaning 94.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 32 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, White wins 54.5%, draws 4.6% and loses 40.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.8%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, White wins 51.6%, draws 3.9% and loses 44.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.6%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, White wins 49.3%, draws 4.0% and loses 46.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.4%. It rests on 22K Lichess games, which average 30 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, White wins 48.2%, draws 4.5% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.5%. It rests on 23K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, White wins 46.0%, draws 4.9% and loses 49.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.5%. It rests on 21K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, White wins 44.7%, draws 6.3% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 16K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, White wins 41.0%, draws 7.5% and loses 51.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.8%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, White wins 39.9%, draws 10.4% and loses 49.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.1%. It rests on 10K Lichess games, which average 39 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, White wins 45.4%, draws 16.9% and loses 37.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.9%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games, which average 46 moves.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, White wins 43.9%, draws 3.9% and loses 52.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.9%. It rests on 37K Lichess games.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, White wins 46.6%, draws 6.1% and loses 47.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.7%. It rests on 70K Lichess games.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, White wins 52.8%, draws 6.0% and loses 41.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.9%. It rests on 32K Lichess games.
What is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit win rate in Classical?
In Classical, White wins 62.2%, draws 5.6% and loses 32.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 65.0%. It rests on 1.9K Lichess games.
Is the Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit a good opening?
The Russian Game: Damiano Variation, Kholmov Gambit is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 47.5% of its games and loses 47.0%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.