Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit
2.2M games from Lichess · Updated January 2026
Black expected score · All ratings · All speeds
44.6%
the worst score you would still get, 90% confident. Its best is the same figure — the band is too tight to plot.
Measured over 2.2M games at this level and clock.
Black comes out behind here — there are better weapons in the list.
Outcomes for Black
Draw 3.2 · Score = win + ½ of the draws · 2.2M games
- Rank among the families Black can choose here
- not ranked — this is a variation, not a family
- Games in this context
- 2.2M
- Best context
- 57.7% at 0-999 UltraBullet
- Worst context
- 30.7% at 1400-1599 Classical
- Average game length
- 32 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
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: 48.5% at 0-999, 43.1% at 2500+.
| Rating | UB | Bulle | Blitz | Rapid | Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: 57.7% expected score (1,055 games)
- 0-999 rating, Bullet: 49.3% expected score (64,274 games)
- 0-999 rating, Blitz: 44.8% expected score (108,759 games)
- 0-999 rating, Rapid: 44.2% expected score (69,166 games)
- 0-999 rating, Classical: 46.4% expected score (815 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, UltraBullet: 51.9% expected score (3,164 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Bullet: 46.2% expected score (80,906 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Blitz: 42.9% expected score (98,748 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Rapid: 39.8% expected score (36,280 games)
- 1000-1199 rating, Classical: 42.0% expected score (1,510 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, UltraBullet: 47.7% expected score (7,263 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Bullet: 45.9% expected score (121,787 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Blitz: 43.2% expected score (123,141 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Rapid: 39.7% expected score (33,509 games)
- 1200-1399 rating, Classical: 36.8% expected score (1,695 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, UltraBullet: 45.4% expected score (17,490 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Bullet: 46.2% expected score (157,249 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Blitz: 43.5% expected score (148,377 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Rapid: 40.6% expected score (33,860 games)
- 1400-1599 rating, Classical: 30.7% expected score (1,977 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, UltraBullet: 46.4% expected score (25,147 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Bullet: 46.2% expected score (167,476 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Blitz: 43.7% expected score (138,853 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Rapid: 40.7% expected score (25,985 games)
- 1600-1799 rating, Classical: 30.8% expected score (995 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, UltraBullet: 46.0% expected score (26,190 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Bullet: 46.1% expected score (171,198 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Blitz: 42.7% expected score (92,146 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Rapid: 39.9% expected score (14,376 games)
- 1800-1999 rating, Classical: 35.4% expected score (408 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, UltraBullet: 43.6% expected score (14,037 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Bullet: 45.8% expected score (143,677 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Blitz: 40.8% expected score (43,800 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Rapid: 37.6% expected score (3,862 games)
- 2000-2199 rating, Classical: 33.8% expected score (60 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, UltraBullet: 39.4% expected score (4,723 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Bullet: 45.7% expected score (110,679 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Blitz: 40.1% expected score (10,137 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Rapid: 36.1% expected score (657 games)
- 2200-2499 rating, Classical: 38.2% expected score (7 games)
- 2500+ rating, UltraBullet: 33.2% expected score (541 games)
- 2500+ rating, Bullet: 43.3% expected score (43,312 games)
- 2500+ rating, Blitz: 36.3% expected score (814 games)
- 2500+ rating, Rapid: 59.8% expected score (19 games)
Related Openings
Methodology
Across every rating and clock, the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit scores 44.6% for Black — we are 90% confident the real figure is between 44.5% and 44.6% — from 2.2M 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
- 2.2M+ 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: Ross Gambit win rate?
Playing the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit, Black wins 42.9%, draws 3.2% and loses 53.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.6%. It rests on 2.2M rated games from Lichess.
At what rating does the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit perform best?
The Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit performs best for Black at 0-999, with an Expected Score of 45.9% (244K games) and the highest Floor of any rating with enough games to read.
Is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit better in blitz or rapid?
For Black, the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit scores higher in Blitz: an Expected Score of 43.3% in Blitz (765K games) against 41.4% in Rapid (218K games).
How sharp is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit?
The Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit has a sharpness score of 96.8 (very decisive), meaning 96.8% of games end decisively. Average game length is 32 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate at 0-999?
At 0-999, Black wins 43.6%, draws 4.4% and loses 51.9%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.9%. It rests on 244K Lichess games, which average 26 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate at 1000-1199?
At 1000-1199, Black wins 42.2%, draws 2.9% and loses 54.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.7%. It rests on 221K Lichess games, which average 28 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate at 1200-1399?
At 1200-1399, Black wins 42.7%, draws 2.6% and loses 54.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.0%. It rests on 287K Lichess games, which average 29 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate at 1400-1599?
At 1400-1599, Black wins 43.0%, draws 2.7% and loses 54.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.4%. It rests on 359K Lichess games, which average 31 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate at 1600-1799?
At 1600-1799, Black wins 43.3%, draws 2.9% and loses 53.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.8%. It rests on 358K Lichess games, which average 33 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate at 1800-1999?
At 1800-1999, Black wins 43.2%, draws 3.1% and loses 53.7%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.8%. It rests on 304K Lichess games, which average 34 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate at 2000-2199?
At 2000-2199, Black wins 42.6%, draws 3.6% and loses 53.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.4%. It rests on 205K Lichess games, which average 36 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate at 2200-2499?
At 2200-2499, Black wins 42.8%, draws 4.2% and loses 53.0%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 44.9%. It rests on 126K Lichess games, which average 37 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate at 2500+?
At 2500+, Black wins 40.5%, draws 5.2% and loses 54.3%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.1%. It rests on 45K Lichess games, which average 40 moves.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate in UltraBullet?
In UltraBullet, Black wins 44.6%, draws 2.3% and loses 53.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 45.7%. It rests on 100K Lichess games.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate in Bullet?
In Bullet, Black wins 44.8%, draws 2.6% and loses 52.6%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 46.1%. It rests on 1.1M Lichess games.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate in Blitz?
In Blitz, Black wins 41.4%, draws 3.8% and loses 54.8%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 43.3%. It rests on 765K Lichess games.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate in Rapid?
In Rapid, Black wins 38.9%, draws 4.8% and loses 56.2%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 41.4%. It rests on 218K Lichess games.
What is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit win rate in Classical?
In Classical, Black wins 33.9%, draws 5.0% and loses 61.1%. Counting a draw as half a point, that is an Expected Score of 36.4%. It rests on 7.5K Lichess games.
Is the Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit a good opening?
The Zukertort Opening: Ross Gambit is hard work for Black — it favours White. Across all ratings, Black wins 42.9% of its games and loses 53.8%. It performs best at 0-999. Your results depend on your rating, time control, and how well you know the typical plans.