Marshall Gambit

The Marshall Gambit, named after the American master Frank Marshall, applies the familiar French lever ...c5 one move early. In most French lines Black waits for White to play e5 so that ...c5 hits the base of a fixed chain. Here the center is still fluid, and White can open it to exploit the loosened d5-pawn. The most common and strongest-looking reply is 4. exd5 exd5 5. dxc5 Bxc5 6. Qxd5, after which Black is a pawn down with little to show for it. After 5...d4 instead, the knight steps to 6. Ne4 and guards c5. 4. Nf3 is also good, preparing to recapture with the knight after 4...cxd4. 4. dxc5 is less precise because of 4...d4, and after 5. Nb5 Nc6 6. Nf3 e5 7. c3 a6 8. Nbxd4 exd4 9. cxd4 White gets three pawns and a center for the knight, with only a modest edge.

The engine gives White a clear advantage, and White scores well in practice. The line is remembered mainly for Levitsky–Marshall, 1912, the so-called gold coins game, which Marshall won with a celebrated queen move.