Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nf6/3. Nxe5/3...Nc6/4. Nxc6/4...dxc6/5. d3/5...Bc5/6. Bg5

Stafford gambit Stafford gambit 6. Bg5?? White thinks to pin Black's knight to their queen to prevent any shenanigans with 6...Ng4. However, this plays straight into Black's hand and it's already too late for White. Black can play 6...Nxe4!, ignoring the pin and sacrificing their queen. If White takes it 7. Bxd8??, the most infamous Stafford trap is sprung: 7...Bxf2+ 8. Ke2 Bg4#. White can avoid checkmate but only at huge cost: their best move is to give up on Black's queen and retreat the bishop, 7. Be3. It is critical Black play 6...Nxe4! here. For instance, 6...Ng4? and the knight prevents Black's bishop from coming to g4. 7. Bxd8 Bxf2+ 8. Ke2 Kxd8+++ and Black attack's fizzles out. 6...Qd4?, the other common attack in the Stafford which also gets out of the pin, allows 7. Bh4 (protecting f2) or 7. Be3. Black gets their pawn back (7...Qxb2 8. Nd2) and the game is even. Theory table 6...Nxe4 7. Bxd8?? Bxf2+ 8. Ke2 Bg4# 0-1 6... ... 7. Be3 Bxe3 8. fxe3 Qh4+ 9. g3 Nxg3 10. hxg3 Qxh1 -- 6... ... 7. dxe4?? Bxf2+ 8. Ke2 Bg4+ 9. Kxf2 Qxd1 -- 6... ... 7. Qe2 Qxg5 8. Qxe4+ Kd8 9. f4 Qh4+ 10. g3 Qf6 11. Nc3 Re8 12. O-O-O Rxe4 13. Nxe4 Qd4 -- 6... ... 7. ... ... 8. dxe4?? Qc1+ 9. Qd1 Bxf2+ 10. Kxf2 Qxd1 --- References Petrov Defence