Toikkanen Gambit

The Toikkanen Gambit arises from the Accelerated Panov, 1. e4 c6 2. c4 d5, when White advances 3. e5 instead of exchanging on d5. The push claims space but leaves the c4-pawn unprotected. Black most often ignores it with 3...Bf5, developing the bishop as in the Advance Variation; 3...dxc4 accepts the pawn, and 3...e6 is a French-style alternative. Engines rate the position as roughly balanced, and it is an uncommon sideline.