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Van Geet Opening

Laroche Gambit

A00gambitoffbeat

  1. 1.Nc3b5
1,225 games47%50%

The Laroche Gambit, 1. Nc3 b5, is a rare offbeat reply to the Van Geet Opening in which Black puts a pawn en prise to the white knight.

Train it in Theoria

About the Laroche Gambit

The Laroche Gambit answers 1. Nc3 with 1...b5, placing the b-pawn where the knight on c3 can capture it at once. Taking with 2. Nxb5 is the engine's first choice, but in practice White more often ignores the offer and occupies the center with 2. e4 or 2. d4, each chosen about as often as the capture. The engine gives White a slight edge. In online games Black's results are marginally better than White's.

Popular continuations