Englund Gambit

A pawn on credit, the queen on a raid

Gambits
Sharp play

Black offers a pawn straight away: 1.d4 e5. The aim is to dodge the closed queen's-pawn games and get an open fight with quick development. The opening is considered dubious: if White plays accurately, the extra pawn stays with White. It does score on traps, though, especially in fast games and at club level.

Interactive Opening Board

6.Nc3

♚

Black

♔

White

6.Nc3

Speed:

Moves

(11 plies • 6 moves)

6.Nc3Tabiya

1–6moves
#WhiteBlack
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Defining move

1…e5 — a pawn offered at once

The gambit move on which the whole opening rests

Black does not wait for White to close the centre. After 2.dxe5 Nc6 they hit the extra pawn and get tempo and quick development for it. The trouble is that the compensation falls short: the pawn is given up for real.

Tabiya

The queen has taken on b2

The black queen has gone far from home and eaten the b2 pawn, so material is level again. But White is better developed, the pieces come out with tempo, and the queen may soon be in danger. Black hopes for traps and complications; White needs to finish development calmly.

White’s plan

Accept the pawn and develop with tempo: Nf3, Bf4.
Meet the check with Bd2 and avoid traps such as Bc3??.
Make Black's queen regret its raid and turn the extra pawn into a win.

Black’s plan

Develop quickly and hit the e5 pawn with the c6 knight.
Use the queen on e7 and b4 for checks and threats.
Count on traps: one slip by White costs dearly.

History

The gambit is named after Fritz Englund, a Swedish player who sponsored a thematic tournament built around it.

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