1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

1. d4 e5

Shown from Black's side. ECO A40.

Opening guide · an opening for Black

Englund Gambit

The Englund Gambit starts 1. d4 e5. Black gives up a pawn on the first move to set traps, the best known of which ends in a quick mate after a queen check on b4. With accurate play White keeps the extra pawn and a clear advantage, so it is rare in serious games but popular in fast ones.

Games in our sample
53,421
White wins
49.4%
Draws
3.8%
Black wins
46.8%
Open this position on the analysis boardResults by rating

How the Englund Gambit scores at each rating

Each row is one rating band. The share is how much of all the games in that band started with this opening.

RatingGamesShareWhite winsDrawsBlack wins
under 10004,7592.1%52.3%4.9%42.7%
1000 to 11996,2922.0%50.1%3.1%46.9%
1200 to 13999,7602.1%49.1%3.1%47.9%
1400 to 159911,7161.9%48.1%3.6%48.3%
1600 to 179911,0011.7%49.1%3.8%47.1%
1800 to 19997,1331.4%49.0%4.1%46.9%
2000 to 21992,3300.9%51.1%5.8%43.2%
2200 and over4300.4%50.7%8.1%41.2%
All ratings53,4211.7%49.4%3.8%46.8%

Counted from 3,156,949 rated blitz, rapid and classical games played on Lichess from 2026-10-01 to 2026-10-02 (the first 5,000,000 games of the month's public file; bullet and unrated games left out). The rating is the average of the two players' Lichess ratings. Source: the Lichess open database (public domain).

Main lines

The named lines of the Englund Gambit that were played most in our sample, each with the position it reaches.

  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Hartlaub-Charlick Gambit

    1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 d6

    9,677 games · White 48.1% · draws 3.5% · Black 48.4%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Reversed French

    1. d4 e5 2. e3

    6,425 games · White 48.7% · draws 5.2% · Black 46.1%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Main Line

    1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7

    5,868 games · White 48.1% · draws 3.6% · Black 48.3%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Englund Gambit Declined

    1. d4 e5 2. d5

    5,252 games · White 50.2% · draws 3.7% · Black 46.2%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Soller Gambit

    1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 f6

    2,331 games · White 51.0% · draws 4.1% · Black 44.9%

    Analyse this position
  • 1h2g3f4e5d6c7b8a

    Reversed Alekhine

    1. d4 e5 2. Nf3

    1,215 games · White 52.3% · draws 5.3% · Black 42.4%

    Analyse this position

Ideas for White

  • Take the pawn. After 2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7 4. Bf4 Qb4+ 5. Bd2 Qxb2 play 6. Nc3. The natural 6. Bc3 loses to 6...Bb4.

Ideas for Black

  • The gambit relies on White going wrong. Against an opponent who knows the line you are simply a pawn down.

Questions

What are the moves of the Englund Gambit?
1. d4 e5. In the ECO classification it is filed under A40.
How does the Englund Gambit score?
In 53,421 games with it in our sample, White won 49.4%, 3.8% were drawn and Black won 46.8%.
At which ratings is the Englund Gambit played most?
Among players rated under 1000 it is 2.1% of all games in our sample, its highest share. Its lowest share, 0.4%, is among players rated 2200 and over.
Which line of the Englund Gambit is played most?
Englund Gambit: Hartlaub-Charlick Gambit (1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 d6), with 9,677 games in our sample.

Related openings