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Halász–McDonnell Gambit

Gambit16 linesYou play White

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4. Instead of taking back the pawn, White pushes f4 to grab space and play e5, Bd3 and an attack on Black's kingside, often with a bishop sacrifice on h7.

Halász–McDonnell Gambit after 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4

The idea

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4 is a Centre Game where White doesn't take the pawn back but pushes the f-pawn, grabbing space and threatening e5. After 3…Nc6 4.Nf3 White plays Bd3 or c3 and e5, aiming for a huge pawn centre and attacking chances on the kingside.

What happens next

White's set-up is Nf3, Bd3, O-O and e5, with Nbd2 or a3 and b4 to gain space on the queenside too. The d4 pawn is often regained later with Nxd4 or c3. The attack comes from the e5 pawn and the bishop on d3 pointing at h7.

How to play against it

Black's best is to develop quickly and hit the centre: 3…Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 (or 4…Nf6) and if 5.e5 d5! or 5…Ng4. Don't let White get e5 for free; …d5 and …Bg4 keep White's centre under pressure.

A key line

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.a3 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.b4 Bb6 8.c4 Nde7 9.c5

More lines

8.c4 dxc3 9.Qxd5
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.a3 Nf6 6.e5 Nd5 7.b4 Bb6 8.c4 dxc3 9.Qxd5
9.Bxh7+ Kh8 10.Ng5 g6 …
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.a3 a5 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.O-O O-O 8.e5 Nd5 9.Bxh7+ Kh8 10.Ng5 g6 11.Qf3 d3+ 12.Kh1 dxc2 13.Bxg6
10.Ng5+ Kg6 11.f5+ Kh6 …
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.a3 a5 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.O-O O-O 8.e5 Nd5 9.Bxh7+ Kxh7 10.Ng5+ Kg6 11.f5+ Kh6 12.Qg4 g6 13.Qh4+ Kg7 14.Qh7#
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All 16 lines in this gambit

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