Kennedy Variation, de Smet Gambit

The de Smet Gambit is one of several ways for Black to leave the pawn on e5 after 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 e5 3. dxe5, rather than recapturing with the knight. With 3...d6, Black strikes at the advanced pawn at once. The aim is to open the d-file and free the dark-squared bishop, accepting a pawn deficit in return for faster development. White has doubled e-pawns on e4 and e5, and the d- and e-files are half-open. The engine judges the gambit as giving White a clear advantage, but in online play Black scores slightly better than White overall.

The usual reply, chosen in the large majority of games, is 4. exd6. It removes the doubled pawn and keeps the extra material but opens lines for Black's pieces. In practice it has been the least successful of the main options for White, and Black wins more often than White after it. The quieter 4. Nf3 develops a piece and defends e5, and White scores markedly better with it. A third choice is 4. Bb5, which pins the c6 knight and so weakens Black's pressure against e5. The line is a rare surprise weapon, seen far more often in fast online games than in serious practice.