Omaha Gambit

The Omaha Gambit is White's sharpest answer to the modest 2...d6 in the Vienna Game. The f-pawn strikes at e5 from the flank, intending to divert the pawn from its watch over d4 so that White can later establish pawns on both d4 and e4. The price is a loosened kingside, which White must keep in mind for the rest of the game. Compared with the Vienna Gambit proper, this is a less favorable version for White. Against 2...Nf6, the capture on f4 can be met by e5, which drives the knight back. Here there is no knight to harass, so 3...exf4 is the critical reply and the most popular one. Play then tends to transpose to the Fischer Defense of the King's Gambit, where ...d6 already stops a knight from settling on e5.

Black can also decline. After 3...Nc6 4. fxe5 dxe5 the position is level, and 3...Nf6 is a further option. The engine rates the starting position as balanced. In online games White scores somewhat better than Black and draws are rare.