Portuguese Opening: Portuguese Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
5,580 games: White 51.1% / Draw 4.4% / Black 44.5%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 2,0042,004 | ||
| 1,6051,605 | ||
| 1,2191,219 | ||
| 426426 | ||
| 109109 | ||
| 7979 | ||
| 7676 | ||
| 4040 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 31, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.10 The position is about equal
Best play: 3... c6 4. dxe5 Nxe4 5. Bd3 Nc5 6. Nf3 d5 7. exd6 Bxd6 8. Nc3
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Portuguese Opening: Portuguese Gambit (ECO C20, Open Games) is a gambit in the Portuguese Opening, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Bb5 Nf6 3. d4 (3 moves).
In 5,580 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 51.1%, Black 44.5% and 4.4% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…exd4, in 36% 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 Portuguese Opening: Portuguese Gambit
3…a6 scores best for Black: 51.2%, with Black winning 49.8% and White 47.4% of 426 games. The most played, 3…exd4, scores 45.9% in 2,004 games, and 3…Nxe4 scores lowest: 45.4%. Stockfish's first choice is 3…c6.
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. “Portuguese Opening: Portuguese Gambit (C20)”. Lichess data as of 31 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/portuguese-opening-portuguese-gambit