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ECO C44Open game

Irish Gambit

A knight for a pawn and a hope for the centre

  • Gambits
  • Sharp play
  • Open centre

After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 White plays 3.Nxe5, giving a knight for a pawn. The idea is that after 3…Nxe5 4.d4 White gets a strong centre and quick development. For this to work, Black has to go wrong. The gambit is considered unsound, and people choose it only for the trap.

Interactive Opening Board

4…Ng6

♚
Black
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g
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4
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1
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♔
White
4…Ng6
Speed:

Moves

(8 plies • 4 moves)
4…Ng6Tabiya
  1. 1–4moves
  2. 1.
  3. 2.
  4. 3.
  5. 4.

Defining move

3.Nxe5 — a knight takes a pawn

The sacrifice that starts the gambit

The knight takes the e5 pawn and is itself attacked by the c6 knight. Black simply takes it, and White is a piece down. The point is 4.d4: the e4 and d4 pawns hold the centre and Black's knight must move. But White has only a pawn for the piece, and Black can simply develop calmly.

Tabiya

White has the centre, Black has an extra piece

The black knight has retreated to g6; White holds the e4 and d4 pawns but is a piece down. The compensation is only a slight lead in the centre and in development. Black should develop and answer with …d5 at the first chance: after that, White's plan falls apart.

White’s plan

  • Hold the centre with e4 and d4 and stop …d5.
  • Develop fast and attack before Black can regroup.
  • Count on the opponent falling into the traps.

Black’s plan

  • Take the knight and move your own after 4.d4.
  • Strike with …d5 and break White's centre.
  • Develop calmly, without greed, and keep the extra piece.

History

According to a story printed in 1887, the name goes back to an Irishman, Dennis O'Flaherty, who supposedly played it without noticing that the pawn was protected. How true the tale is remains an open question.

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