Gambit - Definition and Overview

A gambit is a chess opening, where something is sacrificed in order to achieve a better position. Usually, the piece sacrificed is a pawn, but there are also gambits sacrificing a Bishop or Knight, like the Muzio gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.0-0) and Cochrane gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nxf7). Usually, the player who sacrifices something gains time or active piece play. A good example is the Middle or Danish gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2. White has two pawns less, but his bishops are placed very well, looking to the opponents kingside. A very dubious gambit is the so called Halloween Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 Nf6 4.Nxe5?! Nxe5 5.d4.

Of course, one is not obliged to accept a gambit; often, one can decline without a problem. One can also accept a gambit with the intention of returning the material later for a positional advantage, as advocated by Emanuel Lasker.

The word gambit stems from the Italian 'gambetta' which means: setting a trap.

Some other gambits:

• King's Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.f4
• Queen's Gambit: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 - This is the most played "gambit", but it is technically not a gambit, since white can always win his pawn back.
• Evans Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4
• Smith-Morra Gambit: 1.e4 c5 2.d4 intending 2. ..cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3
• Two Knights Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 with 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 likely to follow.
• Blackmar-Diemer Gambit (BDG): 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 followed by 4.f3
• From's Gambit: 1.f4 e5
• Staunton Gambit: 1.d4 f5 2.e4
• Budapest Gambit: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5
• Scotch Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4
• Latvian Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5

For the fictional comic book superhero in the Marvel Universe, see Gambit (comics).

Gambit was also a codename used for the KH-7 and KH-8 reconnaissance satellites.

Gambit was also the title of a game show based on the card game blackjack.