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Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit

5.9K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds

43.7%

35%55%
Floor42.6%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 44.7%.

Measured over 5.9K games at this level and clock.

Tough Sellloses more often than it wins at this level

Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.

Outcomes for Black

Draw 3.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 5.9K games

Rank among the families Black can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
5.9K
Best context
50.9% at 2000-2199 Bullet
Worst context
43.1% at 2200-2499 Bullet
Average game length
30 moves
Games that end decisively
96.8%
Draws
3.2%

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: −12.1% · Breakpoint: 0-999

Traps & Chaos

Complexity: 89.7 · Trap factor: +7.0 · 5.9K games

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 falls away as the rating rises: 47.3% at 0-999, 33.8% 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, Bullet: 55.7% expected score (77 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 48.1% expected score (417 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 38.0% expected score (218 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 44.5% expected score (117 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 42.6% expected score (365 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 39.5% expected score (283 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (12 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 73.1% expected score (5 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 35.8% expected score (146 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 40.2% expected score (285 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 37.4% expected score (220 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 40.9% expected score (15 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 38.9% expected score (21 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 44.3% expected score (209 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 45.2% expected score (255 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 37.3% expected score (147 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 17.8% expected score (14 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 53.4% expected score (28 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 44.0% expected score (312 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 45.6% expected score (271 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 40.4% expected score (87 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 31.9% expected score (4 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.0% expected score (16 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 43.3% expected score (553 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 46.8% expected score (244 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 44.7% expected score (55 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 13.7% expected score (4 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 55.9% expected score (7 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.9% expected score (681 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 35.8% expected score (111 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 55.7% expected score (16 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 38.9% expected score (3 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 30.0% expected score (1 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 43.1% expected score (572 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 43.9% expected score (23 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 21.5% expected score (2 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 37.6% expected score (63 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 30.0% expected score (1 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Vienna Game
51.4%
Variations (5)
Vienna Game: Max Lange Defense
50.3%
Vienna Game: Anderssen Defense
49.8%
Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit
57.4%
Vienna Game: Stanley Variation
51.0%
Vienna Game: Falkbeer Variation
48.2%
Analyze Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit scores 43.7% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 42.6% and 44.7% — from 5.9K 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
5.9K+ 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 Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate?

Playing the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit, Black wins 42.1%, draws 3.2% and loses 54.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.7%. It rests on 5.9K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit perform best?

The Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit performs best for Black at 2000-2199, with an Expected Score of 48.9% (818 games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit better in blitz or rapid?

For Black, the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 44.3% in Blitz (2.0K games) against 38.9% in Rapid (1.0K games).

How sharp is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit?

The Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit has a sharpness score of 96.8 (very decisive), meaning 96.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 30 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, Black wins 43.5%, draws 4.6% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.8%. It rests on 712 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, Black wins 39.2%, draws 5.2% and loses 55.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.8%. It rests on 778 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, Black wins 37.7%, draws 1.7% and loses 60.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 38.6%. It rests on 671 Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, Black wins 40.8%, draws 2.5% and loses 56.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.1%. It rests on 646 Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, Black wins 42.9%, draws 3.1% and loses 54.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.4%. It rests on 702 Lichess games, which average 30 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, Black wins 43.2%, draws 2.0% and loses 54.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.2%. It rests on 872 Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, Black wins 47.5%, draws 2.6% and loses 49.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.9%. It rests on 818 Lichess games, which average 33 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, Black wins 40.6%, draws 4.6% and loses 54.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 42.9%. It rests on 598 Lichess games, which average 35 moves.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, Black wins 43.9%, draws 2.4% and loses 53.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.1%. It rests on 2.7K Lichess games.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, Black wins 42.3%, draws 3.9% and loses 53.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.3%. It rests on 2.0K Lichess games.

What is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, Black wins 36.8%, draws 4.1% and loses 59.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 38.9%. It rests on 1.0K Lichess games.

Is the Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit a good opening?

The Vienna Game: Philidor Countergambit is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 42.1% of its games and loses 54.8%. It performs best at 2000-2199. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.