Budapest Gambit
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 · A51–A52
Starting positionWhite to move
0 / 16
...Ng4 attacks the pawn on e5
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The idea
Black throws the e-pawn forward and then drops the knight to g4, playing for activity and a quick strike against White's centre.
Main line: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.Bf4 Nc6 5.Nf3 Bb4+ 6.Nbd2 Qe7 7.a3 Bxd2+ 8.Qxd2 Ncxe5
What White wants
- Accept the pawn and defend carefully
- Develop with Nf3, Nbd2 and e3 and keep the extra material
- Return the pawn at the right moment to reach a good structure
What Black wants
- Harass the white centre with ...Ng4, ...Nc6 and ...Bb4+
- Regain the pawn on e5 and keep the initiative
- Trade pieces and reach a position with no weaknesses
Key idea
Understand this and the moves stop needing to be memorised.
...Ng4 attacks the pawn on e5
The knight on g4 attacks e5, and ...Nc6 adds a second attacker to the same pawn. White can defend it, but must balance that task with development. Black uses the attack on the pawn to gain active squares rather than conceding space quietly.
Common mistake
Spending too many tempi trying to retain e5. The main line shows Black recovering it while White develops; Bf4 moves a bishop, not the f-pawn. Decide when to return the pawn so that development and king safety do not suffer.
Representative position
The position this opening is aiming at. Copy the FEN, or open it in the analysis board and let the engine tell you what it is worth.
r1b1k2r/ppppqppp/8/4n3/2P2Bn1/P4N2/1P1QPPPP/R3KB1R w KQkq - 0 9
Analyze this position