Van Geet Opening: Dougherty Gambit
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Statistics from Lichess
38,143 games: White 49.5% / Draw 4.4% / Black 46.1%
| Next move | Games | White / Draw / BlackW / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| 23,70924K | ||
| 5,8465,846 | ||
| 3,1213,121 | ||
| 1,9051,905 | ||
| 1,0741,074 | ||
| 791791 | ||
| 574574 | ||
| 421421 |
Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026
Engine evaluation
−0.61 Black is slightly better
Best play: 3... exf3 4. Nxf3 Nf6 5. d4 g6 6. Bf4 Bg7 7. Qd2 O-O 8. O-O-O
Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.
Overview
Van Geet Opening: Dougherty Gambit (ECO A00, Flank Openings) is a gambit in the Van Geet Opening, reached after 1. Nc3 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. f3 (3 moves).
In 38,143 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 49.5%, Black 46.1% and 4.4% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…exf3, in 62% 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 Van Geet Opening: Dougherty Gambit
3…e5 scores best for Black: 51.8%, with Black winning 49.4% and White 45.9% of 3,121 games. The most played, 3…exf3, scores 49.1% in 24K games, and 3…Nf6 scores lowest: 45.4%. Stockfish's first choice is 3…exf3.
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. “Van Geet Opening: Dougherty Gambit (A00)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/van-geet-opening-dougherty-gambit