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What is a gambit in chess?

A gambit is an opening where one side sacrifices material (usually a pawn) for positional or developmental advantages:

Famous gambits:

  • King's Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4) - Aggressive pawn sacrifice for attack

  • Queen's Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4) - Not a true gambit, pawn is recoverable

  • Evans Gambit (Italian + 4.b4) - Sacrifices b-pawn for rapid development

  • Smith-Morra Gambit (vs Sicilian, 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3) - Pawn for lead in development

    When to play gambits:

  • Against weaker opponents who may not refute it

  • When you want sharp, tactical positions

  • In faster time controls where calculation is harder

    Gambit risks:

  • Material deficit if attack fails

  • Opponent may have prepared refutation

  • Endgames often favor the defender

    Gambits are excellent for learning attacking chess and tactical patterns.

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