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Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit

1.8K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.9%

45%60%
Floor49.0%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 52.9%.

Measured over 1.8K 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 2.9 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 1.8K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
1.8K
Best context
not measured yet
Average game length
29 moves
Games that end decisively
97.1%
Draws
2.9%

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: +2.2% · Breakpoint: 0-999

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 holds about the same all the way up, near 47.1%.

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: 41.8% expected score (53 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 55.5% expected score (90 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 44.0% expected score (81 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (2 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 56.7% expected score (51 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 53.4% expected score (58 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 61.4% expected score (38 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 68.2% expected score (4 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 46.2% expected score (78 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 46.7% expected score (73 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 58.5% expected score (28 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 40.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 62.9% expected score (14 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 54.5% expected score (134 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 54.3% expected score (69 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (25 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 70.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 40.5% expected score (9 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (138 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 51.9% expected score (107 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 52.8% expected score (17 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 61.2% expected score (3 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 58.7% expected score (10 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 47.6% expected score (179 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 61.6% expected score (85 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 42.0% expected score (11 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 70.0% expected score (6 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 51.0% expected score (191 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 42.4% expected score (51 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 32.4% expected score (7 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 47.4% expected score (111 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 42.6% expected score (12 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 50.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 44.1% expected score (32 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 50.0% expected score (2 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Van Geet Opening
49.5%
Variations (5)
Van Geet Opening: Reversed Nimzowitsch
48.6%
Van Geet Opening: Dunst-Perrenet Gambit
52.1%
Van Geet Opening: Grünfeld Defense
48.1%
Van Geet Opening: Napoleon Attack
51.9%
Van Geet Opening: Sicilian Two Knights
47.4%
Analyze Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit scores 50.9% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 49.0% and 52.9% — from 1.8K 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
1.8K+ 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 Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate?

Playing the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit, Black wins 49.4%, draws 2.9% and loses 47.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.9%. It rests on 1.8K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit perform best?

The Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit performs best for Black at 1000-1199, with an Expected Score of 57.1% (153 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 52.7% in Blitz (547 games) against 50.0% in Rapid (208 games).

How sharp is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit?

The Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit has a sharpness score of 97.1 (very decisive), meaning 97.1% of games end decisively. Average game length is 29 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 45.0%, draws 6.0% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.0%. It rests on 224 Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 55.3%, draws 3.6% and loses 41.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.1%. It rests on 153 Lichess games, which average 25 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.7%, draws 2.4% and loses 50.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.9%. It rests on 186 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 53.0%, 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 243 Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 50.6%, draws 2.4% and loses 47.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 274 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 50.6%, draws 2.3% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.8%. It rests on 286 Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 48.0%, draws 2.1% and loses 49.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.1%. It rests on 256 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 45.8%, draws 2.0% and loses 52.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.8%. It rests on 124 Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 48.9%, draws 1.7% and loses 49.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 967 Lichess games.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 50.6%, draws 4.1% and loses 45.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.7%. It rests on 547 Lichess games.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 47.5%, draws 5.0% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 208 Lichess games.

Is the Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit a good opening?

The Van Geet Opening: Damhaug Gambit is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 49.4% of its games and loses 47.7%. It performs best at 1000-1199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.