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Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit

710K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

56.6%

45%60%
Floor56.5%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 56.7%.

Measured over 710K 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 2.7 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 710K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
710K
Best context
59.3% at 1400-1599 Bullet
Worst context
50.0% at 0-999 Rapid
Average game length
29 moves
Games that end decisively
97.3%
Draws
2.7%

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 BreakpointWhite

Peak: +15.3% · Breakpoint: Never

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 15.4% · Bullet best · UltraBullet worst

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: 42.8% at 0-999, 57.9% 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: 28.4% expected score (17 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 55.5% expected score (5,912 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 52.5% expected score (5,490 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (1,866 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 27.8% expected score (12 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 31.7% expected score (23 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 57.4% expected score (14,630 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 57.1% expected score (15,592 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 55.0% expected score (4,133 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 40.1% expected score (54 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 48.2% expected score (25 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 58.2% expected score (27,846 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 57.6% expected score (34,056 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 58.4% expected score (9,823 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 53.2% expected score (142 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 43.9% expected score (23 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 59.3% expected score (39,068 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 56.7% expected score (56,881 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 56.9% expected score (14,810 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 53.4% expected score (501 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 57.9% expected score (24 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 58.8% expected score (45,940 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 55.4% expected score (84,907 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 56.4% expected score (18,623 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 58.3% expected score (766 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 44.7% expected score (8 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 58.3% expected score (50,217 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 54.6% expected score (97,050 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 54.9% expected score (16,509 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 56.4% expected score (617 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 58.0% expected score (40,631 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 54.6% expected score (59,513 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 55.4% expected score (7,260 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 59.6% expected score (124 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 58.6% expected score (29,261 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 54.6% expected score (16,238 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 56.2% expected score (1,454 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 60.9% expected score (17 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 58.6% expected score (8,604 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 57.0% expected score (927 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 58.0% expected score (11 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Scandinavian Defense
48.5%
Variations (5)
Scandinavian Defense: Mieses-Kotroc Variation
50.2%
Scandinavian Defense: Valencian Variation
49.0%
Scandinavian Defense: Modern Variation
47.8%
Scandinavian Defense: Main Line
47.3%
Scandinavian Defense: Gubinsky-Melts Defense
48.5%
Analyze Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit scores 56.6% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 56.5% and 56.7% — from 710K 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
710K+ 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 Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate?

Playing the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit, White wins 55.3%, draws 2.7% and loses 42.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.6%. It rests on 710K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit perform best?

The Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit performs best for White at 1200-1399, with an Expected Score of 58.0% (72K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 55.5% in Blitz (371K games) against 56.1% in Rapid (74K games).

How sharp is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit?

The Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit has a sharpness score of 97.3 (very decisive), meaning 97.3% of games end decisively. Average game length is 29 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 52.3%, draws 2.2% and loses 45.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 13K Lichess games, which average 22 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 56.0%, draws 1.9% and loses 42.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.0%. It rests on 34K Lichess games, which average 23 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 57.0%, draws 1.9% and loses 41.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.0%. It rests on 72K Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 56.5%, draws 2.2% and loses 41.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.6%. It rests on 111K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 55.3%, draws 2.5% and loses 42.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.6%. It rests on 150K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 54.2%, draws 3.0% and loses 42.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.7%. It rests on 164K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 54.3%, draws 3.3% and loses 42.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.9%. It rests on 108K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 55.3%, draws 3.7% and loses 41.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.2%. It rests on 47K Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 56.2%, draws 4.4% and loses 39.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.4%. It rests on 9.5K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 42.0%, draws 2.0% and loses 55.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.1%. It rests on 121 Lichess games.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 57.4%, draws 1.9% and loses 40.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 58.4%. It rests on 262K Lichess games.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 53.9%, draws 3.1% and loses 43.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.5%. It rests on 371K Lichess games.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 54.4%, draws 3.4% and loses 42.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 56.1%. It rests on 74K Lichess games.

What is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 53.9%, draws 3.8% and loses 42.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 55.8%. It rests on 2.2K Lichess games.

Is the Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit a good opening?

The Scandinavian Defense: Main Line, Leonhardt Gambit is good for White. Across all ratings, White wins 55.3% of its games and loses 42.1%. It performs best at 1200-1399. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.