Chess Opening Theory/1. d4/1...d5/2. g4
| Zürich gambit | |
|---|---|
|
a b c d e f g h 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h | |
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) | |
| Moves: 1. d4 d5 2. g4 | |
| ECO code: D00 | |
| Parent: Closed game | |
2. g4? · Zürich gambit
[edit | edit source] | Now leaving opening theory: This page represents a rare sideline. Before making new pages for following moves, please consider line notability. |
Called the Zürich gambit, this very unsound and dubious move gambits the g4 pawn. Moving the g-pawn so early weakens White's kingside and is generally not advised.
Black should take with 2...Bxg4 as it is simply a free pawn. Black simply wins a pawn and White doesn't have much compensation except the hope that the semi-open g-file will one day be useful for attacking Black's kingside. White may continue with 3. Bg2, then Nf3 or h3.
Declining the gambit, e.g. 2...Nc6?!, gives White the chance to defend the pawn with 3. h3 (not 3. f3?? allowing 3...Qh4+!) or they could play 3. Bg2 to insist on gambitting the pawn.
2...c5, as if playing a Queen's gambit with colours reversed, is a natural move. White doesn't want to take 3. dxc5? and give up their space in the centre, but their d- and g-pawns are now both under attack.
History
[edit | edit source]This move is vanishingly rare in master-level chess and it's unclear to what we owe the name "Zürich gambit", which appears in several online opening books.
This resembles the Grob gambit, 1. g4 d5 where White leaves the g-pawn undefended with 2. Bg2.
In 2018, the Free Internet Chess and Go Server (FICGS) held a thematic tournament where all games began from this position.[1]
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ Thematic Tournament 000225, FICGS.com
See also
[edit | edit source]
King's gambit
Accepted
Declined
Vienna
- Barnes ?
- Borg ?
- Corn stalk ??
- Duras ??
- 1...b5 ??
Zukertort