Birmingham Gambit

The Birmingham Gambit arises after 1. b4 c5. Instead of attacking the b4-pawn indirectly with ...e5, Black strikes it directly with the c-pawn and leaves that pawn to be taken. If White accepts with 2. bxc5, the b-pawn has been traded for Black's c-pawn, which fits the Polish Opening's aim of keeping extra central pawns. Black is left with a pawn deficit in return for quick development. Engines regard 2. bxc5 as White's best reply, followed by 2. b5, which gains queenside space and keeps the pawn away from capture, and 2. a3, which defends it. The position is assessed as roughly balanced.

In practice White most often plays 2. e4. This transposes to the Wing Gambit of the Sicilian Defense, where the b-pawn becomes White's own sacrifice. Other common choices are 2. Bb2, which ignores the attack on b4 and develops the bishop, and 2. c4, the English Opening Wing Gambit. Rarer moves lead to other named gambits: 2. d4 to the Zilbermints-Benoni Gambit, 2. Nc3 to the Düsseldorf Gambit, and 2. h4 to the Kádas Gambit. White scores slightly better than Black in online games, and draws are uncommon.