Felbecker Gambit

The Felbecker Gambit develops the king's bishop with 3...Bc5 instead of rounding up the e5-pawn with 3...Qe7. The bishop aims at f2, and Black normally follows with ...f6, offering the f-pawn for open files in the manner of the Soller Gambit. The positions resemble the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit with colors reversed, but Black is a tempo short. White's pawns are doubled on the e-file, and Black's play rests on rapid development and the half-open files rather than on regaining material.

4. Nc3 is the most common reply. After 4...f6 5. exf6 Nxf6 6. Bg5 d6 7. e3 h6, Black has some compensation, though not full value for the pawn. 4. e3 and 4. Bf4 are also frequent, and engines also rate 4. a3 highly. The critical 4. e4 is best met by 4...Qe7, since 4...f6 5. Bc4 leaves White well on top. Engines give White a clear advantage after 3...Bc5, but in online play Black's results are not far behind White's.