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ECO A40BlackA line in the Englund Gambit

Learn the Englund Gambit Main Line: Soller / Hartlaub-Charlick (4...Qe7) line in the Englund Gambit

The critical mainline trap: Black regains material and the pawn by harassing the queenside; if White is careless the b2/c3 grab nets the exchange or equality. Book knows this is dubious for Black but it is the most common practical line.

The moves you’ll play

  1. 1.d4e5
  2. 2.dxe5Nc6
  3. 3.Nf3Qe7
  4. 4.Bf4Qb4+
  5. 5.Bd2Qxb2
  6. 6.Bc3Bb4
  7. 7.Qd2Bxc3
  8. 8.Nxc3Qxc3

The line continues — master it move by move in the app.

Your coach, move by move

  1. 1... e5We strike the center and offer the gambit pawn to open lines for rapid piece play against White's slightly loosened setup.
  2. 2... Nc6We develop with tempo and immediately pressure the e5-pawn, preparing to win it back.
  3. 3... Qe7We attack e5 a second time and eye the b4-check, the engine of the whole gambit's queenside raid.
  4. +5 more coached moves waiting in the app

Key ideas behind this line

  • Develop with tempo: meet 2.dxe5 with ...Nc6 and ...Qe7 to pile pressure on the extra e5-pawn and provoke White into committal defending.
  • Hit the queenside with the thematic ...Qb4+ and ...Qxb2, winning the b-pawn, eyeing the a1-rook, and forcing White onto the only accurate path (6.Bc3).
  • Spring the trap: if White develops carelessly with 7.Nbd2?, the shot 7...Bxc3 wins a clean piece because nothing can recapture on c3.

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More lines in this opening

Englund Gambit Declined: 5.Bd2 Qb6 Solid Retreat

Instead of the greedy 5...Qxb2, Black retreats to keep pressure on b2 and e5 while staying flexible; a calmer practical try that avoids the sharpest refutations.

Englund Gambit: 4.Qd5 Stockfish Try

Against the engine-favored 4.Qd5, Black challenges the e5-pawn with ...f6 and recaptures to open the f-file, then builds a broad center with ...d5 for active development and decent compensation.

Englund Gambit: Felbecker / 4.Bg5 Variation

If White develops the bishop to g5 instead of f4, the same b2/c3 mechanism works for Black, regaining material and reaching the familiar equalizing queen trade structure.

Englund Gambit: 3.Nf3 Nge7 Hartlaub Setup

A modern positional handling: Black develops the king's knight to g6 to recover the e5-pawn by attacking it, trading dark-squared bishops to ease the cramp and prepare a clean recapture.

Englund Gambit Complex: Blackburne-Hartlaub 2...d6

The Blackburne-Hartlaub Gambit: Black sacrifices a pawn cleanly to gain a big development lead and open lines toward White's king, a sounder structural try than the queen raids.

Englund Gambit: Zilbermints Gambit 3...Nge7

The Zilbermints approach: Black combines ...Nge7-g6 with ...Qe7 to attack and round up the e5-pawn directly, regaining material while keeping a sound, well-developed position.

Englund Gambit: 4.Nc3 Quiet Development

When White just develops with 4.Nc3, Black wins back e5 cleanly by exchanging knights, reaching an equal, open position with the bishop pin to keep White's center honest.

Englund Gambit: 3.Bf4 Early Bishop

If White develops the bishop on move three before the knight, Black transposes into the main trapping mechanism with the b2 grab and the c3 pin to liquidate toward equality.

Englund Gambit: 4.Bf4 g5 Aggressive Try

A swashbuckling sideline: Black chases the f4-bishop and gains kingside space with ...g5-g4, kicking the knight away and recovering the e5-pawn for a sharp, double-edged middlegame.

Englund Gambit: 4.Bf4 f6 Undermining

Black undermines the e5-pawn with ...f6 and recaptures with the knight, then builds a strong center with ...d5, gaining active piece play and the half-open f-file as compensation.

Englund Gambit: 5.Bd2 Qxb2 6.Nc3 Trap Test

When White tries to trap the adventurous queen with Nc3 and Rb1, Black keeps it safe via a3 and a5 while pinning on b4, holding the extra pawn and dodging the net with accurate retreats.

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