Ponderchess / Openings
Play the guided film, or select a scene to pause and study its position.
Opening
The Englund Gambit in 3D
1.d4 e5. Black offers the e-pawn at once, hoping for quick development and traps. It is objectively dubious but dangerous for unprepared opponents.
Rebuild the sequence yourself. The board responds to each move, and hints are available.
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Englund Gambit: Stockholm Variation, move by move: d4 e5 dxe5 Nc6 Nf3 Qe7 Qd5
The white pieces
Develop with Nf3, Bf4 and Nc3, keep the b4-e1 diagonal and the b2 pawn in mind, and give the pawn back if that ends Black's initiative.
The black pieces
Regain the pawn on e5 with ...Qe7 and ...Nxe5, or play for quick development and open lines with ...d6 or ...f6. Traps are the opening's main weapon.
Look a little deeper · 01
The main line is 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7, attacking e5 a second time. White can keep the pawn with careful development, for example 4.Qd5 (the Stockholm Variation) or 4.Bf4, but must watch the check on b4 and the b2 pawn.
Look a little deeper · 02
Black can also gamble with 2...d6 (the Hartlaub-Charlick Gambit) or 2...f6 (the Soller Gambit), opening lines at once for quick development.
Look a little deeper · 03
Black's compensation is time rather than structure, so it fades if White completes development safely. Returning the pawn to end the initiative is often White's simplest course.
Englund Gambit: Stockholm Variation, move by move: d4 e5 dxe5 Nc6 Nf3 Qe7 Qd5
Keyboard: Space pauses, the arrow keys step. Gold arrows are White's moves, violet are Black's, red rays are threats, green shows support, blue shows plans.
