Birds Opening, From's Gambit & Platz Gambit
Bird’s Opening
Definition
Bird’s Opening is a flank opening that begins with the move 1.f4. White immediately contests the e5–square and prepares a kingside expansion that resembles a reversed Dutch Defence (with an extra tempo). The ECO codes for Bird’s Opening range from A02 to A03.
Typical Move Orders & Key Ideas
- Main line: 1.f4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 g6 4.b3 Bg7 5.Bb2 0-0 – a flexible, strategic struggle.
- Leningrad setup: 1.f4 g6 2.Nf3 Bg7 3.g3 d6 4.Bg2 – modelled on the Leningrad Dutch.
- Swiss Gambit: 1.f4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.d3 e5 4.e4 – White transposes into a King’s Indian Attack–style structure.
Strategic Themes
- Control of the e5-square; if White can permanently plant a knight on e5, his space advantage is significant.
- Queenside castling is rare; most Bird players castle short and launch a pawn storm with h2-h3, g2-g4 or f4-f5.
- The b1-h7 diagonal: Bb2 often becomes the strongest minor piece in White’s camp.
- Because the f-pawn is advanced, the king can be draughty on g1; accurate prophylaxis against …Qb6, …Qh4+, and …Ng4 is vital.
Historical Background
The opening is named after the English master Henry Edward Bird (1830-1908), who employed 1.f4 hundreds of times in the late 19th century. Later adherents included Aron Nimzowitsch, Savielly Tartakower, Bent Larsen, and even Magnus Carlsen (in blitz).
Illustrative Game
Henry Bird – Johannes Zukertort, London 1883
Bird demonstrated both the kingside potential and tactical pitfalls awaiting the unwary Black player.
Interesting Facts
- Larsen famously shocked Boris Spassky with 1.f4 in the second game of their Candidates match (Belgrade 1977), winning convincingly.
- Because 1.f4 opens the a7–g1 diagonal, some correspondence players deliberately castle queenside to avoid the sensitive g1–a7 motif.
- The opening’s nickname “The Dutch Attack” is occasionally heard among club players, though it never caught on in literature.
From’s Gambit
Definition
From’s Gambit (ECO code A02) is the sharp counter-attempt 1…e5!? in reply to Bird’s Opening. The critical line continues 2.fxe5 (accepting) and then:
- 2…d6 – the Main Line
- 2…Nc6 – the Classic From
- 2…Qh4+ 3.g3 Qe4 – the Classic Crazy Line
Black sacrifices a pawn (sometimes two) to rip open the f-file, lure the white king into the centre, and exploit the precarious light-square weaknesses around g1.
Strategic Aims
- Rapid development (…Nc6, …d6, …Bg4, …0-0-0) while White struggles to complete kingside safety.
- Tactical motifs: …Qh4+, …Bb4+, …Qd4+, and sacrifices on g3 or e5.
- If White survives the opening unscathed, the extra pawn and central control usually decide in the long run.
Historical Notes
The gambit is named after the Danish master Martin Severin From (1828-1895), who analysed and played it in the 1860s. It earned a fearsome reputation at Victorian coffee-house tables, where rapid tactical blows mattered more than long-term structure.
Sample Line
Main Line (Le Lyonnais Variation): 1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.Nf3 dxe5 4.e4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bc5 7.d3 Ng4! 8.Rf1 Nxh2 9.Nxh2 Qh4+ 10.Kd2 Qg5+ with rampant complications.
Famous Encounters
- Spielmann – Johner, Hamburg 1910 – The Austrian “Master of Sacrifice” was cut down in 17 moves after accepting the gambit.
- Nakamura vs. Vachier-Lagrave, Internet Blitz 2020 – Modern elite players still wheel out From’s Gambit as a lethal bullet weapon.
Interesting Tidbits
- The queenside castling trick 3…Qh4+ 4.g3 Qe4 produces one of the rare early-game triangulation checks (queen returns to h4 or e4 later).
- Some engines at fast time controls initially evaluate From’s Gambit as equal before deeper plies reveal the long-term pawn deficit.
- Because Bird’s Opening is itself uncommon, From’s Gambit is occasionally dubbed “the surprise for the surprise.”
Platz Gambit
Definition
The Platz Gambit is an aggressive response to 1.d4 that starts with 1…e5!? – better known today as the Englund Gambit. After 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 (or 3.Bf4) Black offers rapid development and open lines in exchange for the pawn.
Principal Variations
- Main Line: 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Nc3 Nxe5 – Black regains the pawn and aims at …Nxf3 and …Nf3+ tactics.
- Fritz Gambit: 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 d6!? – a further pawn offer leading to violent play (3.exd6 Bxd6).
- Stockholm Variation: 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nge7 4.Bf4 Ng6.
Strategic Considerations
- Pros for Black: surprise value, open diagonals for both bishops, traps targeting the loose white king after c2-c3 or e2-e4.
- Cons for Black: objectively dubious; best play by White (e.g., 3.Nf3 d6?! 4.Bf4!) often leaves Black with an inferior endgame.
- White should avoid premature pawn grabs on b7 and remain vigilant against …Qb4+ forks.
Origin & Naming
The line is attributed to the Swedish analyst Gustaf Nyholm Platz (1879-1946), who advocated 1…e5 as a provocative weapon in Scandinavian magazines during the early 1900s. Later, Swedish master Anders Englund popularised the gambit in tournaments (hence the dual name “Englund/Platz”).
Model Game
J. Platz – G. Nyholm, Stockholm 1913
Although White ultimately prevailed, the opening phase illustrated Black’s attacking chances and the tactical minefield awaiting the unprepared.
Curiosities
- The quickest mate White can suffer is 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.Bf4 Qb4+ 5.Bd2 Qxb2 6.Bc3 Bb4 7.Bxb4 Nxb4 – if 8.Na3 Qxa3, the white queen is lost.
- In several modern databases the line is labelled “C40” (King’s Pawn Game!) because the ECO system has no dedicated code for 1.d4 e5 outside transpositions.
- Grandmaster Baadur Jobava used the Platz/Englund Gambit to score a blitz win over Sergey Karjakin in 2019, proving its practical venom at the highest level.