Staunton Gambit

The Staunton Gambit answers 1...f5 with 2. e4. White offers the e-pawn to open lines against the king that 1...f5 has loosened, particularly along the e8–h5 diagonal. In exchange, White aims for quick development and an attack. Howard Staunton introduced it in his match against Bernhard Horwitz. Accepting with 2...fxe4 is the most common reply. The usual continuation is 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5, after which White plans f3 to reopen the f-file. Black's fourth move defines the branches: 4...c6 is the Chigorin Variation and 4...b6 the Nimzowitsch. After 4...g6, 5. f3 gives the Lasker Variation and 5. h4 the Alekhine. White can also deviate earlier with 4. g4, the Tartakower Variation, or with 3. Nd2, the American Attack.

Black can decline instead. The move 2...d6 transposes to the Balogh Defense of the Rat Defense, 2...e6 gives the Franco-Hiva Gambit of the French, and 2...g6 leads to a Modern Defense gambit. The engine rates the position after 2. e4 as balanced, which fits the current view that White recovers the pawn at best with equality. The gambit is still practically dangerous in fast games, and White scores slightly better in the database.