Mikenas Defense: Pozarek Gambit
Play any move on the board to explore from there, or step through the line with ‹ › and the arrow keys.
Statistics from Lichess
9,119 games: White 53.7% / Draw 3.9% / Black 42.4%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 4,9234,923 | ||
| 1,5551,555 | ||
| 1,4191,419 | ||
| 598598 | ||
| 171171 | ||
| 117117 | ||
| 110110 | ||
| 5252 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.08 The position is about equal
Best play: 5. e4 Nb6 6. Be3 Bb4 7. Ne2 Nf6 8. Qd4 Qe7 9. a3 Bxc3+
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Mikenas Defense: Pozarek Gambit (ECO A40, Flank Openings) is a gambit in the Mikenas Defense, reached after 1. d4 Nc6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Nxe5 4. Nc3 Nxc4 (4 moves).
In 9,119 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 53.7%, Black 42.4% and 3.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 5. e4, in 54% of those games.
Written from the Lichess opening list and explorer. Know this line well? Write about it.
Write a description or report a mistake
How to play against the Mikenas Defense: Pozarek Gambit
5. Bf4 scores best for White: 60.2%, with White winning 58.2% and Black 37.8% of 598 games. The most played, 5. e4, scores 57.2% in 4,923 games, and 5. e3 scores lowest: 51.7%. Stockfish's first choice is 5. e4.
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. “Mikenas Defense: Pozarek Gambit (A40)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/mikenas-defense-pozarek-gambit