Cochrane Gambit

The Cochrane Gambit departs from the Classical Variation on move 4. Instead of retreating with 4. Nf3, White plays 4. Nxf7 and gives up the knight for a second pawn, since e5 has already been won. In return for the piece White has two pawns and a central majority, and Black's king has lost the right to castle and stands on the half-open f-file. Black almost always accepts with 4...Kxf7. The rare alternatives 4...Nxe4 and 4...Qe7 score poorly for Black in the online database.

After 4...Kxf7, White has two named options. The Bishop Check Line, 5. Bc4+, develops with tempo against the king. The Center Variation, 5. d4, sets up the e4–d4 pawn pair first. The gambit also reached elite level in Topalov–Kramnik, Linares 1999, which went 5. Nc3 c5 6. Bc4+ Be6 7. Bxe6+ Kxe6 8. d4 Kf7 9. dxc5 Nc6. Nick de Firmian judged that position in Modern Chess Openings as giving chances to both sides.

The gambit is regarded as dubious, and engines give Black a slight edge. Even so, online results are nearly even because the defense is hard to conduct in practice, and draws are uncommon.