Calabrese Countergambit

The Calabrese Countergambit answers the Bishop's Opening with 2...f5, attacking e4 before White has developed a knight. It takes its name from Calabria, the homeland of Gioachino Greco. Black hopes to remove the e4-pawn and set up a broad center with ...e5 and ...d5, leaving White's pieces short of good squares. The price is a loosened kingside and an open a2-g8 diagonal for the bishop already on c4, and the opening is generally considered dubious. The engine gives White a slight edge, with 3. d4 as its first choice, though on Lichess the results are close to even.

The most common reply, 3. Nf3, transposes to the Mayet Attack of the Latvian Gambit. Accepting with 3. exf5 comes next in popularity. The Jaenisch Variation, 3. d3, was recommended by Carl Jaenisch through 3...Nf6 4. f4 d6 5. Nf3, which he assessed as good for White. Later analyzes prefer the sharp 3. f4 or the quieter 3. Nc3 to 3. d3. 3. Qh5+ is also seen, exploiting the weakened e8-h5 diagonal. Precise play is demanded of White, since a careless move can hand Black the initiative.