Swiss Gambit Explained

Openingname:Swiss Gambit
Moves:1.f4 f5 2.e4
Eco:A02
Parentopening:Bird's Opening

The Swiss Gambit is a chess opening which is an offshoot of Bird's Opening (1.f4) and begins with the moves:

1. f4 f5

2. e4

Published theory

The following were the main lines of the Swiss Gambit given by F. A. Lange in 1859:

Polish theoretician Alexander Wagner (1868–1942) published an article entitled A New Gambit. The Swiss Gambit in 1912. The Wagner Gambit begins with the moves: 1.f4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g4.[1]

Other uses

The term "Swiss Gambit" is also used colloquially to describe a strategy for Swiss system tournaments. In a "Swiss Gambit", a player loses or draws against weaker players early in the tournament, in the hope of being paired against weaker opposition in later rounds and finishing in the prize money.[2]

See also

Notes and References

  1. http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/swiss.html Edward Winter, 'The Swiss Gambit'
  2. Book: Eade. James. James Eade. 2005. Chess For Dummies. 2. John Wiley & Sons. 19 August 2005. 249. 978-0-4717-7433-4. 7 February 2014.