Rat Defense: English Rat, Pounds Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
5,346 games: White 49.0% / Draw 3.3% / Black 47.6%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 3,1903,190 | ||
| 794794 | ||
| 743743 | ||
| 217217 | ||
| 202202 | ||
| 9999 | ||
| 3939 | ||
| 2020 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 2, 2026
Engine evaluation
+0.49 White is slightly better
Best play: 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. Qa4 Qd7 6. exd6 Bxd6 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. e3 Nb4
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Rat Defense: English Rat, Pounds Gambit (ECO A41, Flank Openings) is a gambit in the Rat Defense: English Rat, reached after 1. d4 d6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Be6 (3 moves).
In 5,346 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.0%, Black 47.6% and 3.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. exd6, in 60% 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 Rat Defense: English Rat, Pounds Gambit
4. e3 scores best for White: 52.8%, with White winning 51.1% and Black 45.6% of 743 games. The most played, 4. exd6, scores 50.3% in 3,190 games, and 4. e4 scores lowest: 49.6%. Stockfish's first choice is 4. Nf3.
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. “Rat Defense: English Rat, Pounds Gambit (A41)”. Lichess data as of 2 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/rat-defense-english-rat-pounds-gambit