Bird Opening · A02

From's Gambit, Lipke Variation

1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 d6 3. exd6 Bxd6 4. Nf3 Nh6 5. d4

White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it.

The first 4 moves, explained

• 1. f4 Fights for e5 from the flank - contesting the centre without committing a centre pawn. Theory calls this the Bird Opening.
• 1... e5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d4, and frees the bishop and queen. The pawn is genuinely on offer - this is the From's Gambit: development and initiative over material.
• 2. fxe5 Takes the pawn on e5, toward the centre.
• 2... d6 Challenges the pawn on e5 - the central tension has to resolve.

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