Latvian Gambit: Mayet Attack, Poisoned Pawn Variation
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Statistics from Lichess
7,086 games: White 40.9% / Draw 2.9% / Black 56.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 4,1734,173 | ||
| 1,8641,864 | ||
| 860860 | ||
| 7070 | ||
| 4545 | ||
| 2424 | ||
| 2222 | ||
| 1212 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+1.08 White is better
Best play: 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Bf7+ Kd8 8. Bxg6 Qxh1+ 9. Ke2 Qxc1 10. Nf7+ Ke8
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Latvian Gambit: Mayet Attack, Poisoned Pawn Variation (ECO C40, Open Games) is a gambit in the Latvian Gambit: Mayet Attack, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Bc4 fxe4 4. Nxe5 Qg5 5. d4 Qxg2 (5 moves).
In 7,086 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 40.9%, Black 56.2% and 2.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 6. Rf1, in 59% 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 Latvian Gambit: Mayet Attack, Poisoned Pawn Variation
6. Qh5+ scores best for White: 45.1%, with White winning 43.3% and Black 53.2% of 1,864 games. The most played, 6. Rf1, scores 43.2% in 4,173 games, and 6. Bf7+ scores lowest: 35.1%. Stockfish's first choice is also 6. Qh5+.
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
Cite this page
Caissa Codex. “Latvian Gambit: Mayet Attack, Poisoned Pawn Variation (C40)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/latvian-gambit-mayet-attack-poisoned-pawn-variation