English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined
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Statistics from Lichess
2,498 games: White 46.3% / Draw 3.3% / Black 50.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 1,1721,172 | ||
| 613613 | ||
| 427427 | ||
| 143143 | ||
| 2424 | ||
| 1818 | ||
| 1717 | ||
| 1313 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 28, 2026
Engine evaluation
0.00 The position is about equal
Best play: 5... fxe4 6. a3 Na6 7. Nh3 Nf6 8. g4 h6 9. Nf4 exd5 10. cxd5
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined (ECO A40, Flank Openings) is a declined gambit in the English Opening: Agincourt Defense, reached after 1. c4 e6 2. d4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb7 4. e4 f5 5. d5 (5 moves).
In 2,498 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 46.3%, Black 50.4% and 3.3% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 5…fxe4, in 47% 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 English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined
5…Bb4 scores best for Black: 55.3%, with Black winning 53.7% and White 43.1% of 613 games. The most played, 5…fxe4, scores 54.8% in 1,172 games, and 5…exd5 scores lowest: 37.4%. Stockfish's first choice is 5…fxe4.
Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: Black's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “English Defense: Hartlaub Gambit Declined (A40)”. Lichess data as of 28 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/english-defense-hartlaub-gambit-declined