Englund Gambit

The Englund Gambit is a rarely played chess opening that starts with the moves:
1. d4 e5?!
Englund Gambit
Black's idea is to avoid the traditional closed queen's
a b c d e f g h
pawn games and create an open game with tactical
8 8
chances, but at the cost of a pawn. The gambit is
7 7
considered weak; Boris Avrukh writes that 1...e5 "seems
6 6
to me the worst possible reply to White's first move".[1]
5 5
It is almost never seen in top-level play, although Paul
4 4
Keres once tried it.[2] The gambit is occasionally seen in
3 3
amateur games and in correspondence chess, and the
2 2
3...Qe7 version of the gambit was frequently used by
1 1
Henri Grob.[3]
a b c d e f g h

Black has numerous ways to continue after 1.d4 e5

2.dxe5. Black can offer to exchange the d-pawn for Moves 1.d4 e5

White's e-pawn with 2...d6, arguing that after White

ECO A40
captures with exd6, ...Bxd6 will offer Black a lead in
development to compensate for the pawn. After the Named after Fritz Englund

continuation 2...Nc6 3.Nf3, Black may round up the e5- Parent Queen's Pawn
pawn with 3...Qe7, intending to meet 4.Bf4 with the Game
disruptive 4...Qb4+, and ensuring that White's only way
Synonym(s) Charlick Gambit
to maintain the extra pawn is to expose the queen with
4.Qd5, but in subsequent play the queen can prove to be
awkwardly placed on e7. 3...Nge7 intending 4...Ng6 is another way to round up the e5-pawn, but
requires two tempi, while Black can also offer to exchange the f-pawn with 3...f6, or 3...Bc5
intending a subsequent ...f6, with similar play to the Blackmar–Diemer Gambit except that Black
has one tempo less.

The gambit can be considered an inferior relative of the Budapest Gambit and Albin
Countergambit, as by comparison with those gambits, White has not weakened the b4-square with
c2–c4, and may be able to put that tempo to better use in order to avoid giving away any key
squares.[4] Accordingly, with careful play White should be able to obtain a greater advantage
against the Englund than against the Budapest and Albin, against all approaches by Black.
However, since the Budapest and Albin rely upon White continuing with 2.c4, and can thus be
avoided by continuations such as 2.Nf3 (when 2...e5? can be met by 3.Nxe5 in either case), it is
easier for exponents of the Englund Gambit to get their opening on the board and avoid getting
into a typical queen's pawn type of game.

This article uses algebraic

notation to describe chess moves.

History

1.d4 e5 is also known as the Charlick Gambit after Henry Charlick (1845–1916), the second
Australian chess champion, who introduced the 2...d6 line in the early 1890s.[5] The main line
Englund Gambit (2...Nc6, 3...Qe7) was introduced by Kārlis Bētiņš (1867–1943), who also established
the Latvian Gambit. The Swedish player Fritz Englund (1871–1933) sponsored a thematic
tournament from late 1932 to early 1933 in which all games had to begin with the position
after 4.Qd5; the 1.d4 e5 gambit complex was later named after him.[3]

Main variations

Main line
a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h

Stockholm Variation: 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Qd5

Most common today is 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Bf4 Qb4+ 5.Bd2 Qxb2 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Rb1 Qa3. White
can try to keep the extra pawn with 4.Qd5!?, the Stockholm Variation. Black can try a queenside
fianchetto with 4...b6, or attempt to regain the pawn with 4...h6, but neither of those lines
provide enough compensation for the pawn.[6][7] Thus, Black usually challenges the e5-pawn
immediately with 4...f6, when play continues 5.exf6 Nxf6 6.Qb3. Black does not get enough
compensation with the delayed queenside fianchetto 6...b6,[8] so the main line continues 6...d5.
After 6...d5, 7.Nc3 Bd7!, threatening 8...Na5, leading to complications and good play for Black (e.g.
8.Bg5 Na5 or 8.Qxb7 Rb8 9.Qxc7 Qc5).[3] After the stronger responses 7.Bf4 and 7.Bg5 (intending
7...Bd7 8.e3), however, while Black retains some compensation for the pawn, White keeps an
edge.[3][9]

a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h

Main line: 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Bf4 Qb4+

Instead, White often allows Black to regain the pawn at the cost of lagging development. The main
line runs 4.Bf4 Qb4+ 5.Bd2 (5.Nc3!? is perfectly playable, as 5...Qxf4 is well met by 6.Nd5!, while
5...Qxb2 6.Bd2 transposes to the main line) 5...Qxb2 6.Nc3![3] White must avoid the notorious trap
6.Bc3?? Bb4!, which wins for Black after 7.Bxb4 Nxb4 or 7.Qd2 Bxc3 8.Qxc3 Qc1#.[10]

After 6.Nc3, 6...Nb4? is refuted by 7.Nd4 c6 8.a4.[3] The main line instead continues 6...Bb4 7.Rb1
Qa3 8.Rb3 Qa5 9.e4 Nge7 or 9.a3 Bxc3 10.Bxc3 Qc5, when White has some advantage due to the
lead in development, but Black is not without chances due to the loose white pieces and shattered
white pawn structure.[11] However, in 2006 Bücker pointed out that 8.Nd5!, previously analysed by
Grob as leading only to an unclear position, has been improved for White, and Black has yet to
find a good response.[3][12] Avrukh also considers this very strong, analyzing 8...Bxd2+ 9.Qxd2 Qxa2
10.Rd1 Kd8 11.Ng5 Nh6 12.e6! d6 (12...Qa5? 13.e7+! Ke8 14.Qxa5 Nxa5 15.Nxc7+ wins) 13.exf7 Rf8
14.Nxc7 Kxc7 15.Qxd6+ Kb6 16.Ne4! Qxc2 (or 16...Bf5 17.Nc3 Qxc2 18.Nd5+) 17.Nd2 Rxf7 18.Rb1+
Qxb1+ 19.Nxb1 with "a decisive advantage". Stefan Bücker offers 13...Qa5 for Black[12] but concludes
that White is clearly better after 14.c3 Rf8 15.Nxh7 Rxf7 16.Ng5 Rf8 17.g3 Ne5 18.Bg2 Nhf7
19.Nxf7+ Rxf7 20.Qd4. Avrukh also considers 8...Ba5 9.Rb5 Bxd2+ (9...a6? 10.Rxa5 Nxa5 11.Nxc7+)
10.Qxd2 Kd8 11.Ng5 (the traditional reply 11.e4 may allow Black a playable game after 11...a6!?
according to Bücker[12]) 11...Nh6 12.f4!? a6 13.Rb3 Qxa2 14.Nc3 Qa1+ 15.Rb1 Qa5 16.e3 when Black
is "close to losing", for example 16...Re8 17.Bc4 Nxe5 18.fxe5 Qxe5 19.Bxf7! Qxg5 20.Bxe8 Kxe8
21.Nd5 Qe5 22.0-0 and "White wins."[13] Bücker also considers 9.e4!? to be a strong alternative to
9.Rb5, leading to a clear advantage for White.[12] Black therefore sometimes tries 4...d6 instead,
continuing 5.exd6 Qf6 6.Qc1 (or 6.e3, returning the pawn).
White's other major try for advantage is 4.Nc3 Nxe5 5.e4, securing a lead in development and
leaving Black's queen awkwardly placed on e7.[14] Stefan Bücker recommends 5...Nf6 6.Bg5 c6 7.Nxe5
Qxe5 8.f4 Qe6, with a playable game but some advantage for White.[3] Viktor Korchnoi won a
miniature in a 1978 simultaneous exhibition with 4.Nc3 Nxe5 5.Nd5 Nxf3+ 6.gxf3 Qd8 7.Qd4 d6
8.Bg5!,[15] but according to Bücker Black gets a playable game with 8...f6 9.Bd2 c6 10.Nf4 Qb6.[3]

Blackburne–Hartlaub Gambit
a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h

Blackburne–Hartlaub Gambit: 2.dxe5

d6

The Blackburne–Hartlaub Gambit, 2...d6, was Charlick's original idea to avoid the closed openings,
aiming for compensation for a pawn after 3.exd6 Bxd6.[5] A sample continuation is 4.Nf3 Nf6
5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4, when White remains a pawn up with some advantage. White can also delay the
immediate 3.exd6, playing 3.Nf3 first, when after 3...Bg4, 4.e4 Nd7 transposes into a gambit line
of the Philidor Defence played by Blackburne. Black gets partial compensation for the pawn after
5.exd6 Bxd6 6.Be2 Ngf6 7.Nc3 Qe7.[16] White obtains a large advantage, however, after 2...d6 3.Nf3
Bg4 4.Bg5! Qd7 5.exd6 Bxd6 6.Nbd2.[17]

Soller Gambit
 a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h

Soller Gambit: 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 f6

The Soller Gambit, 2...Nc6 3.Nf3 f6, was named after Karl Soller (https://players.chessbase.com/e
n/player/soller_karl/246586) . The immediate 2...f6 is sometimes seen as well, when 3.Nf3 Nc6
transposes, but 3.e4! Nc6 4.Bc4 gives White a large advantage.[18] In the Soller Gambit proper,
International Master Gary Lane recommends 4.exf6 Nxf6 5.Bg5.[19] In this line Black gets partial
compensation via 5...h6!, e.g. 6.Bh4 Bc5 (or 6...g5 at once) 7.e3 g5 or 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.c3 Bc5,
although White keeps some advantage.[20][21]

White can also return the pawn via 4.e4, securing the better chances. Then after 4...fxe5 5.Bc4,
5...Nf6 6.Ng5! leads to complications that are very good for White, but 5...d6 may be an
improvement.[22]

Detailed analysis of the Soller Gambit in print has been restricted to two German language works
by FM Stefan Bücker from the 1980s and 1990s.[23][24] In recent years, however, International
Master Kamran Shirazi has played the gambit on over 1,400 occasions in blitz and bullet games at
Lichess. Shirazi has diverged from Bücker's work by favouring 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 f6 4.exf6
Nxf6 5.Bg5 d5!? and well as 5.Nc3 d5!? and 5.e3 d5!?. In each case this results in play where Black
is effectively adopting the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit a move down. Bücker had advocated 5.Bg5 h6
and 5.Nc3 Bc5, generally preferred variations with ...d6, and considered 5...d5 lines to be dubious.
However, Shirazi's games suggest that 5...d5 variations are playable in high level blitz chess.

Felbecker Gambit
 a b c d e f g h
8 8
7 7
6 6
5 5
4 4
3 3
2 2
1 1
a b c d e f g h

Felbecker Gambit: 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3

Bc5

The Felbecker Gambit, 3...Bc5, usually followed by ...f6, is a variant on the Soller Gambit approach,
when again Black may get partial compensation in such lines as 4.Nc3 f6 5.exf6 Nxf6 6.Bg5 d6 7.e3
h6, but 4.e4 is also critical, when Black's best is 4...Qe7 as 4...f6 5.Bc4! gives White a large
advantage.[25]

Zilbermints Gambit
The Zilbermints Gambit, 2...Nc6 3.Nf3 Nge7, was named after the American chess player Lev D.
Zilbermints who had extensive analysis published on the line in Blackmar Diemer Gambit World
issues 61–63. German FIDE Master Stefan Bücker provided further analysis in Kaissiber 5 and
6.[26] The idea is to play ...Ng6 and win the pawn back.

Gary Lane recommends the response 4.Bf4.[27] After 4...Ng6 5.Bg3, Zilbermints recommends either
5...Bc5 or 5...Qe7 6.Nc3 Qb4, when White's main responses are 7.Rb1, 7.Qd2 and 7.a3. After 7.Rb1, a
possible continuation is 7...Qa5 8.Qd5 Bb4 9.Qxa5 Bxa5 10.e3 0-0 11.Bd3 Re8 12.Bxg6 Bxc3+
13.bxc3 fxg6, when Black's superior pawn structure compensates for the lost pawn, while both
7.Qd2 and 7.a3 lead to considerable complications.[28] An alternative for White is 5.e3, but Black
may get some compensation for the pawn after 5...d6.[29] If 4.Bg5, then Black obtains a good game
via 4...h6 5.Bh4 g5 6.Bg3 Nf5.[27]

Thus 4.Nc3 is the most critical response, when 4...Ng6 is ineffective in view of 5.Bg5! Be7 6.Bxe7
Qxe7 7.Nd5,[30] so Black may need to fall back upon 4...h6.[29]
Alternatives for White
White can decline the Englund Gambit in a number of ways, although doing so would be inaccurate.
2.d5 is sometimes seen, but leaves Black with a good game after 2...Bc5, while 2.e3 can be met by
2...exd4 3.exd4 d5 transposing to the Exchange Variation of the French Defence, and in addition
Black can avoid 3...d5 and simply develop with a good game. 2...Nc6 and 2...e4 may also be playable.
After 2.Nf3, Black gets a good game with 2...exd4 3.Nxd4 d5, preparing ...c5, and 2...e4 3.Ne5 d6
4.Nc4 d5 is also good for Black.[31] also after 2...d6, 3.e4 offers black to regain the pawn the
endgame will be more comfortable for white.

After 2.dxe5 Nc6, instead of 3.Nf3, White can also defend the e5-pawn with 3.Bf4, when Bücker
suggests either 3...g5 followed by 4...Bg7, or 3...f6 hoping to get an improved version of the Soller
Gambit.[3] 3.f4 is sometimes seen, but Black has reasonable chances after 3...f6 or 3...d6. White can
also transpose to a line of the Nimzowitsch Defence with 3.e4.

See also

List of chess openings

List of chess openings named after people

References

1. Avrukh 2010, p. 594.

2. Bücker 1988, p. 111.

3. "Over the Horizons: Visiting Planet Englund" (https://web.archive.org/web/2006102719185

3/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kaiss07.pdf) (PDF). Archived from the original (http://w
ww.chesscafe.com/text/kaiss07.pdf) (PDF) on 2006-10-27. Retrieved 2020-05-31.

4. "Daring Defences to 1.d4" (http://www.chesspublishing.com/content/11/jul04.htm) .

Retrieved 2009-05-03.

5. Hooper & Whyld 1992, p. 73 ("Charlick Gambit" entry).

6. Bücker 1988, p. 83.

7. Bücker 1988, p. 94.

8. Bücker 1988, p. 95.

9. Bücker 1988, p. 104.

10. Avrukh 2010, p. 595.

11. Andrew Martin, Chess Monthly 2000.

12. "Over the Horizons: Repairing the Englund Gambit" (http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kaiss48.p

df) (PDF). Retrieved 2010-04-22.

13. Avrukh 2010, pp. 595–96.

14. Avrukh 2010, pp. 594–95.

15. Korchnoi–Koning, simul 1978 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1082504) .

The game concluded 8...Qd7 9.Bh3! Qxh3 10.Nxc7+ Kd7 11.Nxa8 Qg2 12.Qa4+ Ke6 13.Qe8+ Kf5
14.Qe4+ Kxg5 15.f4+ 1–0

16. Bücker 1988, p. 28.

17. Smith and Hall 1994, p. 110.

18. Bücker 1988, p. 51.

19. "Opening Lanes: The World Cup" (http://www.chesscafe.com/text/lane42.pdf) (PDF).

Retrieved 2008-11-19.

20. Bücker 1988, p.64.

21. Kaissiber 5, p. 31.

22. Kaissiber 5, p. 33.

23. Stefan Bücker, 1988, Englund Gambit, 1.d4 e5, Drei Gambits in einem: Hartlaub-Gambit,
Soller-Gambit, Englund-Gambit, pp40-72.

24. Stefan Bücker, 1998, article Zug des Zilbermints gibt 1.d4 e5 neuen Glanz in Kaissiber 5
(January-March 1998), the Soller Gambit is covered in pp 28-34 of the article.

25. Bücker 1988, p. 55.

26. Kaissiber 5, p. 35.

27. "Opening Lanes: The Dashing Danish" (http://www.chesscafe.com/text/lane15.txt) . Retrieved

2008-11-19.

28. Kaissiber 5, p. 37.

29. Kaissiber 5, p. 36.

30. Bücker 1988, p.54.

31. Bücker 1988, p.139.

Bibliography
Avrukh, Boris (2010). 1.d4 Volume Two. Quality Chess. ISBN 978-1-906552-33-6.

Bücker, Stefan (1988). Englund Gambit. Edition Madler Im Walter Rau Verlag / Düsseldorf.
ISBN 3-7919-0301-2.

Burgess, Graham (2000). The Mammoth Book of Chess. Carroll & Graf. ISBN 0-7867-0725-9.

Donnelly, Mike (April 2005). "Another look at the Englund Gambit". Chess Monthly.

Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1996) [First pub. 1992]. The Oxford Companion to Chess
(2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-280049-3.

Martin, Andrew (August 2000). "The Englund Gambit". Chess Monthly.

Smith, Ken; Hall, John (1994). The Englund Gambit and the Blackburne–Hartlaub Gambit
Complex. Chess Digest. ISBN 0-87568-242-1.

External links

Gary Lane on the Soller Gambit (https://web.archive.org/web/20061028003926if_/http://ch

esscafe.com/text/lane42.pdf#page=8) (page 8)

Stefan Bücker (2006). "Visiting Planet Englund" (https://web.archive.org/web/200610271918

53/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kaiss07.pdf) (PDF). Chesscafe.com. Archived from the
original (http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kaiss07.pdf) (PDF) on 2006-10-27.

Stefan Bücker (2009). "Repairing the Englund Gambit" (https://web.archive.org/web/20101205

225535/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kaiss48.pdf) (PDF). Chesscafe.com. Archived from the
original (http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kaiss48.pdf) (PDF) on 2010-12-05.