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Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit

253K games from Lichess · Updated January 2026

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Analyze this line move by move

White expected score · All ratings · All speeds

50.1%

45%55%
Floor50.0%

the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. At best 50.3%.

Measured over 253K 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 White

Draw 2.6 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 253K games

Rank among the families White can choose here
not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
Games in this context
253K
Best context
56.9% at 2000-2199 Rapid
Worst context
43.5% at 1400-1599 UltraBullet
Average game length
29 moves
Games that end decisively
97.4%
Draws
2.6%

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: +5.8% · Breakpoint: 1000-1199

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 falls away as the rating rises: 57.6% at 0-999, 49.0% 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: 61.7% expected score (205 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Bullet: 53.7% expected score (6,013 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Blitz: 49.9% expected score (4,439 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Rapid: 54.3% expected score (1,361 games)
  • 0-999 rating, Classical: 68.6% expected score (20 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 58.3% expected score (376 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 49.5% expected score (9,634 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 50.3% expected score (6,733 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 49.3% expected score (1,420 games)
  • 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 63.2% expected score (29 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 46.2% expected score (984 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 50.0% expected score (14,077 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 49.0% expected score (9,539 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 49.7% expected score (1,849 games)
  • 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 50.0% expected score (46 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 43.5% expected score (2,278 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (20,490 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 49.6% expected score (14,738 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 50.1% expected score (1,983 games)
  • 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 45.7% expected score (67 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 49.2% expected score (1,688 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 47.9% expected score (26,804 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 50.2% expected score (16,877 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 49.5% expected score (2,275 games)
  • 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 55.8% expected score (76 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 50.1% expected score (992 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 48.3% expected score (31,532 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 52.6% expected score (16,712 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 50.3% expected score (2,197 games)
  • 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 64.9% expected score (59 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 48.3% expected score (389 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 50.4% expected score (22,480 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 55.0% expected score (12,083 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 56.9% expected score (1,233 games)
  • 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 70.5% expected score (40 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 45.7% expected score (113 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 51.9% expected score (12,091 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 53.2% expected score (6,482 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 55.8% expected score (740 games)
  • 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 16.7% expected score (3 games)
  • 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 44.6% expected score (72 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Bullet: 54.9% expected score (1,917 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Blitz: 56.1% expected score (347 games)
  • 2500+ rating, Rapid: 40.3% expected score (14 games)

Related Openings

Parent
Zukertort Opening
49.5%
Variations (5)
Zukertort Opening: Tennison Gambit
48.2%
Zukertort Opening: Queen's Gambit Invitation
51.7%
Zukertort Opening: Sicilian Invitation
49.9%
Zukertort Opening: Kingside Fianchetto
49.3%
Zukertort Opening: Slav Invitation
50.4%
Analyze Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit PositionsSee what each move is worth at your rating, move by move

Methodology

Across every rating and clock, the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit scores 50.1% for White — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 50.0% and 50.3% — from 253K 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
253K+ 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 Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate?

Playing the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit, White wins 48.8%, draws 2.6% and loses 48.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.1%. It rests on 253K rated games from Lichess.

At what rating does the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit perform best?

The Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit performs best for White at 2500+, with an Expected Score of 54.6% (2.4K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.

Is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit better in blitz or rapid?

For White, the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit scores about the same in both: an Expected Score of 51.3% in Blitz (88K games) against 51.3% in Rapid (13K games).

How sharp is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit?

The Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit has a sharpness score of 97.4 (very decisive), meaning 97.4% of games end decisively. Average game length is 29 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate at 0-999?

At 0-999, White wins 51.2%, draws 2.7% and loses 46.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.5%. It rests on 12K Lichess games, which average 22 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?

At 1000-1199, White wins 49.0%, draws 2.0% and loses 49.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 50.0%. It rests on 18K Lichess games, which average 24 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?

At 1200-1399, White wins 48.5%, draws 1.9% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.5%. It rests on 26K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?

At 1400-1599, White wins 47.6%, draws 1.9% and loses 50.5%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.6%. It rests on 40K Lichess games, which average 27 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?

At 1600-1799, White wins 47.7%, draws 2.2% and loses 50.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 48.8%. It rests on 48K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?

At 1800-1999, White wins 48.5%, draws 2.6% and loses 48.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.8%. It rests on 51K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?

At 2000-2199, White wins 50.5%, draws 3.1% and loses 46.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.1%. It rests on 36K Lichess games, which average 32 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?

At 2200-2499, White wins 50.2%, draws 4.4% and loses 45.4%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 52.4%. It rests on 19K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate at 2500+?

At 2500+, White wins 52.1%, draws 5.0% and loses 42.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 54.6%. It rests on 2.4K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?

In UltraBullet, White wins 47.2%, draws 1.1% and loses 51.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 47.8%. It rests on 7.1K Lichess games.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate in Bullet?

In Bullet, White wins 48.3%, draws 2.0% and loses 49.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 49.4%. It rests on 145K Lichess games.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate in Blitz?

In Blitz, White wins 49.6%, draws 3.3% and loses 47.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 88K Lichess games.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate in Rapid?

In Rapid, White wins 49.3%, draws 3.9% and loses 46.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 51.3%. It rests on 13K Lichess games.

What is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit win rate in Classical?

In Classical, White wins 54.9%, draws 5.1% and loses 40.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 57.5%. It rests on 340 Lichess games.

Is the Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit a good opening?

The Zukertort Opening: Lisitsyn Gambit is about level. Across all ratings, White wins 48.8% of its games and loses 48.6%. It performs best at 2500+. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.