Borg Defense: Zilbermints Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
10,250 games: White 55.3% / Draw 3.1% / Black 41.7%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 4,4754,475 | ||
| 2,7492,749 | ||
| 1,7161,716 | ||
| 333333 | ||
| 242242 | ||
| 222222 | ||
| 160160 | ||
| 8989 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
+3.30 White is clearly better
Best play: 3. Nf3 h6 4. h4 Bg7 5. Be3 Nc6 6. d5 g4 7. Nh2 Nce7
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Borg Defense: Zilbermints Gambit (ECO B00, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Borg Defense, reached after 1. e4 g5 2. d4 e5 (2 moves).
In 10,250 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 55.3%, Black 41.7% and 3.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 3. dxe5, in 44% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
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How to play against the Borg Defense: Zilbermints Gambit
3. Nf3 scores best for White: 59.7%, with White winning 58.7% and Black 39.3% of 1,716 games. The most played, 3. dxe5, scores 57.1% in 4,475 games, and 3. d5 scores lowest: 54.7%. Stockfish's first choice is also 3. Nf3.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Transpositions
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Borg Defense: Zilbermints Gambit (B00)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/borg-defense-zilbermints-gambit