Guide to

Chess Gambit
Guide to Chess Gambits
Guide to Chess Gambits (Part 1)
How many different gambits are there? Part 1 covers 1.e4 e5 and 1...e6.

Gambit! Gambits are the schizophrenics of the chess openings. Most players love to play
through a finished game that starts as a gambit, but few players dare to play gambits
themselves.

Gambits lead to attacking games that avoid the calculated buildup preceding a classic
attack. Can the gambiteer justify the material disadvantage? Can the opponent overcome
the positional disadvantage that comes with grabbing the gambit sacrifice?

***

How many different gambits are there? We started a forum thread (see Join the
Discussion in the link box at the bottom of this article) to answer this question. We posted
our intermediate results as we gathered gambits from various sources and eventually
discovered well over 100.

The following table shows the first part of our consolidated results. It's sorted by

1. ECO code, then by

2. Moves

Part 1 of this table covers openings that have an ECO code starting with the letter 'C'. A
table with the other ECO codes is in Guide to Chess Gambits (Part 2).
Gambit Name ECO Moves OCC
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6
Milner-Barry Gambit C02 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Bd7 8.Nc3 Nxd4 9.Nxd4 1241
Qxd4
Nimzowitsch Gambit C02 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Qg4 1243
Danish Gambit C21 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 660
Wing Gambit [Bishops Opening] C23 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.b4 640
McDonnell Double Gambit C23 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.b4 Bxb4 4.f4 641
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.b4 Bxb4 4.f4 exf4 5.Nf3
Four Pawns Gambit C23 Be7 6.d4 Bh4+ 7.g3 fxg3 8.O-O gxh2+ 642
9.Kh1
Jerome Gambit [Bishops Opening] C23 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ Kxf7
Lewis Counter Gambit C23 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.c3 d5 644
Petroff Gambit C23 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d6 4.c3 Qe7 5.d4 648
 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Qe2 Nf6 4.d3 Nc6 5.c3
Lopez Gambit C23 647
Ne7 6.f4
Calabrian Counter Gambit C23 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 f5 651
Ponziani Gambit C24 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 654
Urusov (Ponziani) Gambit C24 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3 655
Greco Gambit C24 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.f4 Nxe4 658
Fyfe Gambit C25 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.d4 611
Vienna Gambit C25 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 613
Steinitz Gambit C25 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.d4 614
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.Bc4
Hamppe-Muzio Gambit C25 619
g4 6.O-O
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.d4
Pierce Gambit C25
g4 6.Bc4
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.Nf3 g5 5.h4
Hamppe-Allgaier Gambit C25 622
g4 6.Ng5
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5 Nd6
Adams Gambit C27 626
5.Bb3 Nc6 6.d4
Vienna Gambit C29 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4
Kings Gambit C30 1.e4 e5 2.f4 1070
Falkbeer Counter Gambit C31 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 1078
1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.d3
Morphy Gambit C31 1082
Bb4
1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.d3 Nf6 5.dxe4
Charousek Gambit C32 1086
Nxe4 6.Qe2
Bishop's Gambit C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 1093
Bryan (Kieseritzky) Counter
C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 b5 1094
Gambit
Lopez-Gianutio Counter Gambit C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 f5 1100
Bryan Counter Gambit C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4+ 4.Kf1 b5 1105
Tartakower (Lesser Bishop's)
C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Be2 1114
Gambit [Kings Gambit]
Villemson Gambit C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.d4 1113
Stamma Gambit C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.h4 1176
Keres Gambit C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nc3 1092
Carrera (Basman) Gambit C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Qe2 1115
Breyer Gambit C33 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Qf3 1175
Gianutio Counter Gambit C34 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 f5 1124
Cunningham Gambit C35 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7 1121
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7 4.Bc4 Bh4+
Bertin (Three Pawns) Gambit C35 1122
5.g3 fxg3 6.O-O gxh2+ 7.Kh1
Polerio Gambit C37 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 1123
Wild Muzio Gambit C37 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Bxf7+ 1136
Ghulam Khassim Gambit C37 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.d4 1130
McDonnell Gambit C37 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Nc3 1129
Salvio Gambit C37 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Ne5 1131
Muzio Gambit C37 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.O-O 1138
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.O-O
Double Muzio Gambit C37 1144
gxf3 6.Qxf3 Qf6 7.e5 Qxe5 8.Bxf7+
Rosentreter Gambit C37 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.d4 g4 1149
Sorensen Gambit C37 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.d4 g4 5.Ne5 1150
Quaade Gambit C37 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Nc3 1128
Philidor Gambit C38 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.h4 1145
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.h4
Greco (Calabrian) Gambit C38 h6 6.d4 d6 7.Nc3 c6 8.hxg5 hxg5 9.Rxh8 1146
Bxh8 10.Ne5
Hanstein Gambit C38 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 Bg7 5.O-O 1148
Kieseritzky Gambit C39 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 1151
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5
Rice Gambit C39 1161
Nf6 6.Bc4 d5 7.exd5 Bd6 8.O-O
Allgaier Gambit C39 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ng5 1166
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ng5 h6
Blackburne Gambit C39 1168
6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.Nc3
Queen's Pawn Counter Gambit
(Elephant Gambit, Maroczy C40 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5 1014
Gambit)
Latvian Gambit (Greco Counter
C40 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 1044
Gambit)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Nf6 4.Bc4 fxe4
Corkscrew Counter Gambit C40 1048
5.Nf7 Qe7 6.Nxh8 d5
Lopez Counter Gambit C41 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 f5 1017
Philidor Counter Gambit C41 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 1030
Locock Gambit C41 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Ng5 h6 5.Nxf7 1042
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3 Nxc3
Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit C42 1055
5.dxc3 f6
Cochrane Gambit C42 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7 1068
Urusov Gambit C43 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 1058
Ponziani Counter Gambit C44 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 f5 823
Relfsson Gambit C44 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bb5 971
Scotch Gambit C44 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 974
Goring Gambit C44 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.c3 972
Chicago Gambit C44 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5 Nxe5 4.d4 1012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4
Belgrade Gambit C47 861
5.Nd5
Schultze-Mueller Gambit C47 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nxe5 863
Jerome Gambit [Giuoco Piano] C50 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 930
Rousseau Gambit C50 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 f5 939
Blackburne Shilling Gambit C50 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 935
Evans Gambit C51 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 867
Evans Counter Gambit C51 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 d5 904
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4
Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit C55 942
5.O-O
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5
Two Knights' Gambit C58
5.exd5 Na5
Schliemann (Jaenisch) Gambit C63 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 784
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Bxc6 dxc6
Alapin Gambit C68 764
5.O-O Bg4 6.h3 h5
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-
Harksen Gambit C80 711
O Nxe4 6.d4 b5 7.Bb3 d5 8.c4
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-
Basque Gambit C84 736
O Be7 6.d4 exd4 7.e5 Ne4 8.c3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-
Marshall Gambit [Ruy Lopez] C89 754
O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5

The last column in the table ('OCC') refers to a numeric code assigned to the opening by
the The Oxford Companion to Chess, an excellent reference on chess and its history. You
can find out more about the book in our Chess Bibliography (see the link box again).

Good gambiting!
Guide to Chess Gambits (Part 2)
How many different gambits are there? Part 2 covers everything except 1.e4 e5
and 1...e6.

Gambit! The following table shows the second part of our list of gambits. It's sorted by

1. ECO code, then by

2. Moves

Part 2 of this table covers openings that have an ECO code starting with the letters 'A', 'B',
'D', or 'E'. A table covering ECO code 'C' is inGuide to Chess Gambits (Part 1).
***

If you know your openings, you're probably wondering what the Queen's Gambit (ECO D06)
is doing in the list. After all, it's not a true gambit because Black can't try to keep the Pawn
(to find out why not, see the link box at the bottom of this article).

It's in our list for two reasons. First, it has the word gambit in its name. Second, it's not the
only so-called gambit where Black is unable to hold the Pawn. The Staunton Gambit (ECO
A82) is another example where Black should return the material as quickly as possible.

Gambit Name ECO Moves OCC

Ware Gambit A00 1.a4 e5 2.a5 d5 3.e3 f5 4.a6 4
Tartakower (Fischer) Gambit [Polish] A00 1.b4 e5 2.Bb2 f6 3.e4
Dada Gambit A00 1.g3 e5 2.Bg2 d5 3.b4
Paris Gambit A00 1.Nh3 d5 2.f3 e5 3.e4 f5 1325
Amar Gambit A00 1.Nh3 d5 2.g3 e5 3.f4 1326
From Gambit A02 1.f4 e5 1316
Swiss Gambit A02 1.f4 f5 2.e4 1317
Wagner Gambit A02 1.f4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3
Williams Gambit A03 1.f4 d5 2.e4 1315
Lisitsin Gambit A04 1.Nf3 f5 2.e4 1303
Tennison (Lemberg) Gambit A06 1.Nf3 d5 2.e4 {also 1.e4 d5 2.Nf3} 605
Reti (Landstrasse) Gambit A09 1.Nf3 d5 2.c4
Jaenisch Gambit A10 1.c4 b5 10
Bellon Gambit A22 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 b5 28
Charlick Gambit A40 1.d4 e5 241
1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Qd5 f6
Englund Gambit A40 242
5.exf6 Nxf6
Zilbermints Gambit A43 1.d4 c5 2.b4
Wagner Gambit A46 1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 c5 4.e4 433
Budapest Gambit A51 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 290
Balogh Gambit A52 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.e4 d6 295
Benko Gambit (Benoni Counter Gambit) A57 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 279
Krejcik Gambit A80 1.d4 f5 2.g4 274
Staunton Gambit A82 1.d4 f5 2.e4 258
1.d4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 c6
Lasker Gambit (4...c6) A83 263
5.f3
1.d4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 g6
Lasker Gambit (4...g6) A83 264
5.f3
Marshall Gambit [Scandinavian] B01 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 601
Kotrc-Mieses Gambit B01 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.b4 596
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.c4 Nb6 4.d4 d6
Alekhine Gambit [Alekhine Defense] B02 1259
5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 dxe5 7.Nxe5
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6
Alekhine Gambit [Caro Kann] B15 579
5.Bd3
Wing Gambit [Sicilian] B20 1.e4 c5 2.b4 445
Smith-Morra Gambit B21 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 457
Andreaschek Gambit B21 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Nf3 e5 4.c3 458
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e5 Nd5 4.Nc3 e6
Rubinstein Counter Gambit B29 562
5.Nxd5 exd5 6.d4 Nc6
Morra Gambit B32 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.c3 465
Wing Gambit Deferred [Sicilian 2...e6] B40 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.b4
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
Sicilian Gambit B45 559
5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2 Bb4 7.O-O
Wing Gambit Deferred [Sicilian 2...d6] B50 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.b4 498
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bb5+ Bd7 4.Bxd7+
Bronstein Gambit B52 501
Qxd7 5.O-O Nc6 6.c3 Nf6 7.d4
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6
Zollner Gambit B73 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be2 Bg7 7.Be3 Nc6 8.O-O 532
O-O 9.f4 Qb6 10.e5
Steinitz Counter Gambit D00 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 232
Blackmar Gambit D00 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.f3 222
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit D00 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 55
Queens Gambit D06 1.d4 d5 2.c4 59
Chigorin Defense (Queen's Gambit) D07 1.d4 d5 2.c4 Nc6 109
Albin Counter Gambit D08 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 110
Winawer Counter Gambit D10 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 e5 80
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4
Slav Gambit D15 97
5.e4
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4
Tolusch-Geller Gambit D15 98
5.e4 b5 6.e5
Alekhine Defense [Queens Gambit] D22 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 a6 4.e3 99
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 dxe4
Marshall Gambit [Semi-Slav] D31 135
5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2
Von Hennig-Schara Gambit (Hennig-
Schara Gambit, Schara Hennig Counter D32 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4 119
Gambit)
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5
Tarrasch Gambit D32 120
5.dxc5 d4 6.Na4 b5
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5
Marshall Gambit [QGD Tarrasch] D32 121
5.e4
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 c6
Anti-Meran Gambit D44 153
5.Bg5
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Bf4 Bg7
Gruenfeld Gambit D83 389
5.e3 O-O
Catalan Queens Gambit E00 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 212
Blumenfeld Gambit (Counter Gambit) E10 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nf3 b5 353
Danube Gambit E60 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.d5 b5 413

The last column in the table ('OCC') refers to a numeric code assigned to the opening by
the The Oxford Companion to Chess, an excellent reference on chess and its history. You
can find out more about the book in our Chess Bibliography (see the link box again).

Good gambiting!