Englund Gambit and Zilbermints Gambit

Englund Gambit

Definition

The Englund Gambit is an unorthodox opening that arises after the moves 1. d4 e5!? . Black immediately challenges the d-pawn and is willing to sacrifice a pawn (after 2. dxe5) in return for rapid development and surprise value. It is classified under ECO code A40.

Typical Move-Order and Major Branches

• Main Line: 1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7 (or 3…Nge7 – see Zilbermints Gambit) 4. Bf4 Qb4+ etc.
• The Soller Variation: 2…d6 3. exd6 Bxd6, regaining the pawn but leaving Black slightly behind in development.
• The Hartlaub–Charlick Attack: 2…Nc6 3. Nf3 f6, throwing more fuel on the fire at the cost of further weakening the kingside.

Strategic Ideas

Because Black begins by “breaking the rules,” their play must be energetic:

• Rapid piece play: …Nc6, …Qe7, …Nxe5 or …Qb4+ aim at regaining the pawn quickly.
• Open lines: Black seeks to keep the game tactical, often castling long to keep the rook on h8 active along the open h-file.
• Psychological weapon: At club level many White players are unfamiliar with the resulting positions and can easily go wrong early.
• Objective assessment: The gambit is theoretically dubious; precise defence usually leaves White a sound extra pawn.

Historical Notes

The opening is named after Swedish amateur player Fritz Englund (1871-1933), who analysed 1…e5 against 1. d4 in the 1920s. Although never adopted by top grandmasters, it has retained a cult following among attacking players and correspondence enthusiasts.

Illustrative Miniature

In rapid and blitz, Black can score quick knock-outs, for example:

After 8…Nxa2 Black has won back the pawn and opened lines toward the White king.

Interesting Facts

• Computer engines initially mocked the Englund, but modern neural-network engines sometimes find dynamic resources, nudging its evaluation closer to “playable.”
• Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura has employed the gambit in blitz and bullet on streaming platforms, delighting viewers and fueling renewed interest.
• The Englund Counter-Gambit (1. d4 e5) inspired other “provocative first-move …e5” systems, such as the Blackmar–Diemer Gambit against 1. e4 (1. e4 d5 2. d4).

Zilbermints Gambit (in the Englund Gambit)

Definition

The Zilbermints Gambit is a razor-sharp sub-line of the Englund Gambit beginning 1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Nge7!? . Black voluntarily places a knight on the seemingly passive e7 square, intending …Ng6, …Bb4, and a quick kingside pawn storm instead of immediate material recovery.

Origins and Naming

The line is named after Lev D. Zilbermints, a Latvian-American master and prolific opening analyst. In the early 1990s Zilbermints championed the idea in correspondence play, publishing analysis in The American Chess Journal and on early Internet forums. His advocacy popularized the 3…Nge7 move, which was previously considered an inferior backwater variation.

Strategic Themes

• Piece re-routing: The knight heads for g6 (3…Nge7 4. e4 Ng6) targeting the e5-pawn and supporting …f6 or …d6.
• Kingside pawn levers: Black often follows up with …h5, …h4, and …g5 to unbalance the game and pry open lines against the white king, especially if White castles short.
• Delayed recapture: By not rushing to regain the pawn, Black maintains dynamic tension and may even offer a second pawn for attack.
• Psychological pressure: The odd knight manoeuvre is unfamiliar; inaccurate replies can quickly give Black the initiative despite the objective risk.

Main Line Sample

After 9…d6 Black has recovered material equality and has two bishops aimed at the white king.

Critical Tests for White

1. 4. Bf4 – developing while defending e5; Black replies 4…Ng6 5. Bg3 Bb4+.
2. 4. Nc3 – reinforcing the pawn and preparing e4; Black can play 4…Ng6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. h4

   h6.

3. 4. e4 Ng6 5. Bg5 – pinning the knight on e7; Black counters with 5…Be7 and fights for d5.

Notable Games

• Zilbermints – Eriksen, ICCF 1991: The originator’s flagship game featuring a successful …h5–h4 battering ram and a mating attack on move 24.
• Nakamura (2700+) – Anonymous blitz player, Chess.com 2020: Nakamura side-stepped the prepared lines and converted the extra pawn, illustrating that exact defence still favors White with best play.

Interesting Tidbits

• Zilbermints once offered $100 to anyone who could “refute” his gambit in correspondence play; the prize remains unclaimed.
• The line sometimes transposes to the Czech Benoni with colors reversed if White plays d5 early and Black strikes with …f5.
• A dedicated group of fans calls themselves “Z-Men,” sharing home-brew analysis in online newsgroups and engines.

Theoretical Evaluation

Modern engines give White roughly a +1.0 to +1.3 evaluation with best defence, but practical results hover closer to 55-45 in White’s favor at blitz. In classical time controls, precise play generally exposes Black’s structural weaknesses.