Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nf6/3. Nxe5/3...Nc6/4. Nxc6/4...dxc6/5. d3/5...Bc5/6. Be2/6...h5/7. c3

Stafford gambit with 5. d3 C42 Stafford gambit → 5. d3 → 6...h5 7. c3 White's c-pawn supports playing d4, which would cut off Black's bishop's attack on f2 and, White hopes, end the threat of ...Nxf2. The trickiest move is 7...Ng4!? anyway, where after 8. d4 Qh4 Black leaves their bishop hanging, but White can't take it because of 9. dxc5? Qxf2+ 10. Kd2 Bf5! 11. exf5?? O-O-O+, winning the queen. Instead, White must start with 9. g3 Qf6 (threatens ...Qxf2+ again) and the two lines are 10. f3 or 10. Bf3. 7...Bd6?! sets a different trap. It prevents d4 from coming with tempo, so if White plays it anyway they blunder a pawn: 8. d4? Nxe4 9. O-O and though White is still ahead, their edge has been cut considerably. Instead, White needs to prepare d4 by first defending the e-pawn, 8. Nd2, or in the order 8. a4 (threatening a5 and trapping the bishop) a5 9. Bg5 (pinning the knight) Qd6 10. Nd2. Theory table Stafford gambit accepted with 5. d3 7. ... Ng4!? 8. d4 Bb6 9. h3 Qh3? 10. g3 Qf6 11. hxg4 +++ 7. ... ... 8. ... Qh4 9. g3 Qf6 10. f3 ++ 7. ... ... 8. ... ... 9. dxc5? Qxf2+ 10. Kd2 Bf5! 11. exf5?? O-O-O+ --- 7. ... Bd6?! 8. d4? Nxe4 9. O-O + References See also