Berlin Defense, Greco Gambit

The Greco Gambit, 3. f4, answers the Berlin Defense by striking at e5 with the f-pawn instead of protecting the attacked e4-pawn. White offers the f-pawn in the hope of opening the f-file against f7 with the bishop already on c4. The line is named after Gioachino Greco, whose recorded games include it. The engine considers the gambit unsound and gives Black a clear advantage. In online play Black also scores slightly better.

Accepting with 3...exf4 is the most common reply and transposes to the Bishop's Gambit of the King's Gambit Accepted, specifically the Cozio Defense. Theory regards 3...Nxe4 and 3...d5 as stronger, and the engine favors both. After 3...Nxe4 the natural recapture 4. fxe5?? is a blunder, because 4...Qh4+ exploits the weakened e1-h4 diagonal and gives Black a dangerous attack. White therefore has to find another way to deal with the lost central pawn. The quieter 3...d6 is the third most frequent answer.