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Questions tagged [gambits]

A gambit is an opening where one player sacrifices material - usually a pawn, but sometimes multiple pawns or even a piece - in order to gain some positional advantage, e.g. a lead in development or more space.

A gambit is an opening where one player sacrifices material - usually a pawn, but sometimes multiple pawns or even a piece - in order to gain some positional advantage, e.g. a lead in development or more space. Use of the term in chess originated with Ruy Lopez, and comes from the Italian phrase "dare il gambetto," which roughly translates as "to stick out one's leg to trip someone."

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Are there any gambits involving sacrificing a piece?

My impression of the word "gambit" is the sacrifice of a pawn or several pawns at the opening stage of a chess game. However, based on the definition on Wikipedia, a gambit (from ancient Italian gambetto, meaning "to trip") is a chess opening in…
Zuriel
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What proofs for refuted gambits are there?

I've stumbled upon this article a while ago, and I've also seen refutations for the Muzio Gambit (Joseph Kling & Bernard Horwitz - Chess Studies on Endings of Games). I'm wondering what other gambits are proven to be unsound. Edit: I'm looking for…
Valentin Brasso
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What is the theoretical consensus on the Roscher Gambit?

Edit: My mind played a trick on me after the fact. As Akavall notes in a comment, the Chadaev-Carlsen blitz game that I mention below actually proceeded 1. e4 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nf3, a different gambit than the one my question asks about. So please…
ETD
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Which gambits have been most successful?

Besides the Queen's Gambit (which isn't really a gambit anyway), which gambits have been most successful as far as winning percentage and usage at high levels of play?
Andrew Latham
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Are there any gambits where I HAVE to decline?

I know popular openings like the Queen's Gambit can be accepted with an initiative for white. Is there any gambit where accepting it would lead to a forced mate for the player that accepted it?
dinosauce33
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Why is sacrificing an extra pawn good for White in the Goring gambit but bad in the Smith-Morra gambit?

In both the Smith-Morra (accepted) and Goring gambit lines, white offers a pawn on c3. If Black takes the pawn on c3, White can play Bc4, offering a second pawn in exchange for rapid development with highly active bishops. Although neither line is…
hunter
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What to play if someone ignores your King's Gambit?

So I'm an (unranked, but ~1500 on lichess) amateur who's been working on developing my opening strategy for some time, and I've basically been using the King's Gambit for a variety of reasons: It is easy to play and fairly straightforward Castling…
Lt. Commander. Data
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How to blunt the Albin Counter Gambit?

I dislike open, highly tactical games. I wouldn't mind them so much if I won them, but that isn't what happens. I was recently destroyed by the Albin Counter Gambit. I'm curious if there is a known effective way of declining the gambit, blunting…
Eric Wilson
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How to best respond to an early black Qa5 in the Smith-Morra gambit?

I often play the Smith-Morra gambit. Recently I've been seeing black play an early Qa5, such as [fen ""] 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3 Qa5 4. * or [fen ""] 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Nf3 Qa5+ 4. * It seems to throw a spanner in the works as to how I'm…
Douglas S. Stones
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How to deal with the Cochrane Gambit

[fen ""] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6 4. Nxf7 ?! I'm pretty sure the Cochrane Gambit isn't correct. However, I find it difficult to defend against, as some "natural" moves don't seem to work. Can you give some advice how to deal with it?…
Landei
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Does blitz change the relative value of position vs material?

The way I see it, true gambits trade material for position, which in turn could give you opportunities to regain more material. However, in blitz play, you are less likely to notice those opportunities in order to exploit them. Is it fair to say…
MWB
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Let's beat the Benko Gambit!

I play 1. d4 as White and I have success against almost all Black defences, except the Benko Gambit, where I score about 30%. My style is that I like solid, closed, positional games if I can, but I can handle myself tactically too. However I find…
user1108
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Why 4... Nxb4 is not played in Evans gambit?

4... Nxb4 is never played on chesstempo database for +2200 players games, being Bxb4 the most popular move. I don't find any significant change after capturing the pawn with the knight unless after 5. c3, black can play Na6 supporting an eventual…
user18196
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Is use of the gambit the main way for black to win?

I always used to hate playing as black. But recently, I have used gambits more, and I feel it's so powerful, e.g. the 1... d5 response to 1. e4. Most of us know that white has a statistical advantage (about 10% more), so it seems that only through…
Caffeinated
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What defines the name of a gambit?

What defines the name of a gambit? To be obvious, if someone were to use a gambit often (of their own theory), you would name that gambit after them or so, right (like the Ruy Lopez opening)? How then do we get the names of the gambits?
bean delivery man
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