Lemberger Countergambit

The Lemberger Countergambit, 3...e5, leaves the e4-pawn to its fate and hits d4 instead. Black offers to return material in a way that disrupts White's setup. Ignatz von Popiel analyzed it in 1889, when it was a common answer to 3. Nc3. The capture 4. dxe5 permits 4...Qxd1+, forcing White either to forfeit castling with 5. Kxd1 or to retreat the knight with 5. Nxd1. Continuations such as 4. dxe5 Qxd1+ 5. Kxd1 Nc6 6. Nxe4 Nxe5, or 5. Nxd1 Nc6 6. Bf4, reach level endings with few winning prospects for either side. This is the Endgame Variation, and it holds little appeal for gambit players.

In practice the most frequent reply is 4. d5, gaining space and keeping queens on. Among the sharper choices, 4. Nxe4, the Lange Gambit, is most critically met by 4...Qxd4. White then has 5. Qe2 or 5. Bd3, with complications and some compensation, though it is unclear whether that is enough. Both 4. Qh5, the Sneiders Attack, and 4. Nge2, the Rasmussen Attack, which declines the pawn and guards d4, are well answered by 4...Nc6. Another option is 4. Be3, the Soller Attack. The engine rates the starting position as balanced, and Black scores slightly better in online games.