Wing Gambit Deferred

The Wing Gambit Deferred transfers the idea of the Wing Gambit, 2. b4, to the position after 2. Nf3 e6. White offers the b-pawn to lure the c5-pawn away from its watch over d4, hoping to follow up with an early d4 and a full pawn center, and gaining open lines on the queenside in return for the material. The undelayed Wing Gambit is regarded as dubious and is rarely seen at grandmaster level, and this version shares that reputation. The engine gives Black a slight edge after 3. b4.

Accepting with 3...cxb4 is the most common reply, chosen in well over half of the games, and it is also the engine's first choice. Black can instead decline with 3...b6 or strike at the center at once with 3...d5, using the support that 2...e6 already provides for the d5-square. In online play White scores slightly better than Black overall, the usual pattern for an offbeat gambit in which the defender must find accurate moves without preparation.