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Bishop's Opening

McDonnell Gambit, La Bourdonnais-Denker Gambit

C23gambitaggressiveoffbeat

  1. 1.e4e5
  2. 2.Bc4Bc5
  3. 3.b4Bxb4
  4. 4.c3
98 games50%49%

A Bishop's Opening wing gambit in which White, after giving the b-pawn, plays 4. c3 to prepare d4, aiming for Evans Gambit-style central play.

Train it in Theoria

About the La Bourdonnais-Denker Gambit

After 3...Bxb4, White continues with 4. c3, gaining a tempo on the bishop and preparing d4 to build a broad center, in the manner of the Evans Gambit but with the g1-knight undeveloped and the f-pawn free to advance. White trails by a pawn and has an isolated a-pawn. Black usually retreats with 4...Bc5, less often 4...Ba5 or 4...Be7. The line is rare and the engine considers it roughly balanced.

Popular continuations