Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nc6/3. Nc3/3...Nf6/4. d4/4...exd4/5. Nd5

Belgrade 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) r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/3N4/3pP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R
	Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nd5
	ECO code: C47
	Parent: Four knights game → Scotch variation → 4...exd4

5. Nd5!? · Belgrade gambit

White saves their knight but undefends their e4 pawn. This gambit is not completely sound and with best play Black equalises.

White is usually happy to see Black accept the free material, 5...Nxe4. A sharp but unsound idea is 6. Qe2!? (pinning the knight) f5 7. Ng5, where the most common amateur continuation is 7...Be7?? 8. Nxe4 fxe4 9. Qxe4 O-O 10. Bd3 ±, and White has the initiative and a strong attack. The modern move is 5...Bd3.

The main line is 5...Be7, a modest developing move that avoids complications and prepares to castle. White can snap up the bishop pair here but Black is better.

5...Nb4, threatening ...Nxd5, is the most testing move.

History

The first recorded game in this line was played between Kurt Richter and Albert Becker in Berlin in 1938.^[1]

The association with Belgrade comes from the 1945 Belgrade championship, where it was played by Mihailo Trajkovic against Miroslav Radojcic.^[2] Radojcic went on to play the line himself in the Yugoslav championship that year.^[3]^[4]