Modern Defense: Lizard Defense, Mittenberger Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
102,903 games: White 49.0% / Draw 5.9% / Black 45.2%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 42,47542K | ||
| 34,41834K | ||
| 9,1079,107 | ||
| 6,7236,723 | ||
| 5,4315,431 | ||
| 1,9031,903 | ||
| 809809 | ||
| 490490 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.48 White is slightly better
Best play: 4. Nxd5 c6 5. Ne3 Qxd4 6. Qxd4 Bxd4 7. f3 Bg7 8. Ne2 Nf6
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Modern Defense: Lizard Defense, Mittenberger Gambit (ECO B06, Semi-Open Games) is a gambit in the Modern Defense: Standard Line, reached after 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d5 (3 moves).
In 102,903 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.0%, Black 45.2% and 5.9% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. e5, in 41% 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 Modern Defense: Lizard Defense, Mittenberger Gambit
4. Nxd5 scores best for White: 54.0%, with White winning 50.8% and Black 42.8% of 9,107 games. The most played answer, 4. e5, scores lowest: 50.6% in 42K games. Stockfish's first choice is also 4. Nxd5.
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. “Modern Defense: Lizard Defense, Mittenberger Gambit (B06)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/modern-defense-lizard-defense-mittenberger-gambit