Englund Gambit

1. d4White plays d4, the standard queen's pawn opening.
2. e5e5?! The Englund Gambit. Black offers a pawn immediately to rip the position open and dodge all the usual d4 theory.
3. dxe5White accepts. Declining is possible but there is nothing wrong with taking the pawn.
4. Nc6Nc6 attacks the pawn on e5 and develops at the same time.
5. Nf3Nf3 defends the pawn and develops — the natural, good move.
6. Qe7Qe7 piles a second attacker onto e5, and quietly prepares a check on b4.
7. Bf4Bf4 defends e5 for a third time. Everything looks fine for White.
8. Qb4+Qb4+! The point. Black checks and simultaneously eyes b2 — the check has to be answered, and the answer matters enormously.
9. Bd2Bd2 blocks the check and attacks the queen. This is the natural move and it is correct.
10. Qxb2Qxb2 grabs the b-pawn and attacks the rook on a1. This is exactly what Black has been playing for.
11. Bc3Bc3?? The losing move — and the one most players find. It looks like it defends the rook and traps the queen at the same time.
12. Bb4Bb4!! The refutation. The bishop pins the c3 bishop against the king, so it cannot capture the queen, and the rook falls anyway. Stockfish reads about -4.0: White is simply lost.

The refutation every d4 player should know. Instead of 6.Bc3??, White plays 6.Nc3! — the knight covers a1 without stepping onto a pinnable square. Black has no follow-up, the queen has to scramble back, and White simply keeps the extra pawn. Stockfish reads about +1.6 for White.

1. d4White plays d4.
2. e5Black plays e5, offering the gambit.
3. dxe5White takes.
4. Nc6Nc6 hits the e5 pawn.
5. Nf3Nf3 defends it.
6. Qe7Qe7 attacks e5 again and prepares ...Qb4+.
7. Bf4Bf4 adds a third defender.
8. Qb4+Qb4+ — the check that starts the trap.
9. Bd2Bd2 blocks and attacks the queen.
10. Qxb2Qxb2 takes the pawn and forks the rook.
11. Nc3Nc3! The correct defence. The knight guards a1, and unlike the bishop it cannot be pinned to the king on that square.
12. Bb4Bb4 tries the same idea anyway, but here it simply does not work — White is a healthy pawn up at around +1.6.

The Hartlaub-Charlick Gambit with 2...d6, a more principled way to play the Englund. Black gives back the pawn immediately to open the d-file and get the pieces out fast. There is no cheap trap here, just development for material — and the engine reads about +0.9 for White, which is far more respectable than the main line.

1. d4White plays d4.
2. e5Black plays e5.
3. dxe5White captures.
4. d6d6! Instead of chasing the pawn with pieces, Black offers a second one to blast open the centre.
5. exd6White takes on d6.
6. Bxd6Black recaptures with the bishop, which now sits on a beautiful diagonal aiming at h2.
7. Nf3Nf3 develops and covers the sensitive squares.
8. Nf6Black develops Nf6, eyeing e4 and preparing to castle.
9. g3g3 prepares to fianchetto and blunt the b8-h2 diagonal.
10. O-OBlack castles — down a pawn but fully developed.
11. Bg2Bg2 completes the fianchetto.
12. Re8Re8 puts the rook on the open file. Real compensation, though not enough: about +0.9 for White.

The Soller Gambit with 2...f6, prying the centre open at the cost of king safety. Black gets the f-file and quick development but a permanently airy king. Stockfish reads about +1.3 for White, so this is the most speculative of the three — playable in blitz, hard to justify in a long game.

1. d4White plays d4.
2. e5Black plays e5.
3. dxe5White captures on e5.
4. f6f6!? The Soller. Black attacks the pawn from the other side, accepting a loose king to open lines.
5. exf6White takes on f6.
6. Nxf6Black recaptures with the knight, developing with tempo — but the king is now noticeably drafty.
7. Nf3Nf3 develops and controls the central squares.
8. d5d5 stakes out the centre and opens the c8 bishop.
9. g3g3 prepares the fianchetto, the safest setup against Black's activity.
10. Bd6Bd6 aims at h2 and prepares to castle.
11. Bg2Bg2 develops and pressures d5 along the long diagonal.
12. O-OBlack castles. There is genuine activity here, but not a pawn's worth — the engine reads about +1.3 for White.