Englund Gambit · A40

Stockholm Variation

1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7 4. Qd5

An early pawn trade leaves the d-file as White's avenue and the e-file as Black's - both sides get real winning chances down their own file. White is up material out of the opening - Black is banking on activity to show for it.

The first 4 moves, explained

• 1. d4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling e5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 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 Englund Gambit. Fair warning: engines rate this gambit as objectively dubious; it is a practical weapon, not a promise of equality.
• 2. dxe5 Takes the pawn on e5, toward the centre and opens the d-file for the queen.
• 2... Nc6 Develops the knight to c6, eyeing d4 and e5.

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