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Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit

42K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

51.1%

45%55%
Floor50.7%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 51.5%.

Measured over 42K 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 3.5 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 42K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
42K
Best context
55.4% at 1800-1999 UltraBullet
Worst context
36.6% at 0-999 Rapid
Average game length
36 moves
Games that end decisively
96.5%
Draws
3.5%

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

Gambit BreakpointBlack

Peak: +6.5% · Breakpoint: 0-999

Time-Control Swing

Max swing: 12.7% · Rapid best · UltraBullet worst

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 43.1%.

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, UltraBullet: 63.4% expected score (6 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 39.8% expected score (440 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 43.1% expected score (938 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 36.6% expected score (515 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 32.4% expected score (7 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 47.6% expected score (19 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 46.2% expected score (233 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 37.4% expected score (359 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 39.9% expected score (147 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 41.3% expected score (10 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 57.7% expected score (149 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 52.2% expected score (409 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 43.4% expected score (300 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 35.7% expected score (114 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 28.8% expected score (15 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 53.6% expected score (1,088 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 51.3% expected score (610 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 40.8% expected score (322 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 36.7% expected score (96 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 31.1% expected score (25 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 53.8% expected score (3,211 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (880 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 47.2% expected score (320 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 40.5% expected score (56 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 55.4% expected score (5,547 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 49.1% expected score (2,113 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.3% expected score (434 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 35.7% expected score (23 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 53.7% expected score (4,143 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (4,493 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 47.8% expected score (478 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 39.4% expected score (22 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 49.1% expected score (2,240 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.4% expected score (7,914 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 43.2% expected score (254 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 62.9% expected score (14 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 46.9% expected score (94 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 48.9% expected score (3,565 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 36.2% expected score (13 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: Laroche Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit scores 51.1% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.7% and 51.5% — from 42K 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
42K+ 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: Laroche Gambit win rate?

Playing the Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit, Black wins 49.3%, draws 3.5% and loses 47.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.1%. It rests on 42K rated games from Lichess.

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

The Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit performs best for Black at 1800-1999, with an Expected Score of 53.5% (8.1K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

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

For Black, the Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 44.5% in Blitz (3.4K games) against 37.5% in Rapid (987 games).

How sharp is the Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit?

The Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit has a sharpness score of 96.5 (very decisive), meaning 96.5% of games end decisively. Average game length is 36 moves.

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

At 0-999, Black wins 36.3%, draws 8.6% and loses 55.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 40.6%. It rests on 1.9K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.

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

At 1000-1199, Black wins 38.8%, draws 4.0% and loses 57.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 40.8%. It rests on 768 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1200-1399, Black wins 46.4%, draws 3.3% and loses 50.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.1%. It rests on 987 Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

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

At 1400-1599, Black wins 48.7%, draws 2.6% and loses 48.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 2.1K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

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

At 1600-1799, Black wins 51.0%, draws 2.3% and loses 46.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.2%. It rests on 4.5K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

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

At 1800-1999, Black wins 52.0%, draws 2.9% and loses 45.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.5%. It rests on 8.1K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2000-2199, Black wins 51.7%, draws 3.3% and loses 45.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 53.4%. It rests on 9.1K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.

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

At 2200-2499, Black wins 48.8%, draws 3.7% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.7%. It rests on 10K Lichess games, which average 38 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, Black wins 46.5%, draws 4.7% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 3.7K Lichess games, which average 41 moves.

What is the Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, Black 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 16K Lichess games.

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

In Bullet, Black wins 49.1%, draws 3.4% and loses 47.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.8%. It rests on 21K Lichess games.

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

In Blitz, Black wins 41.4%, draws 6.2% and loses 52.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.5%. It rests on 3.4K Lichess games.

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

In Rapid, Black wins 32.7%, draws 9.6% and loses 57.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 37.5%. It rests on 987 Lichess games.

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

The Van Geet Opening: Laroche Gambit is about level. Across all ratings, Black wins 49.3% of its games and loses 47.2%. It performs best at 1800-1999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.