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.
Watch it in 3D
3D lesson · 9 steps · 50 seconds
The Englund Gambit in 3D
Englund Gambit: Stockholm Variation, move by move: d4 e5 dxe5 Nc6 Nf3 Qe7 Qd5
Preparing your opening…
Key ideas
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.
Black can also gamble with 2...d6 (the Hartlaub-Charlick Gambit) or 2...f6 (the Soller Gambit), opening lines at once for quick development.
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.
Plans for White
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.
Plans for Black
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.
Watch out
The famous trap: 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Bf4 Qb4+ 5.Bd2 Qxb2 6.Bc3? Bb4 7.Qd2 Bxc3 8.Qxc3 Qc1#.
Puzzles from the Englund Gambit
Tactics that came up in real games played with this opening, from easiest to hardest.
