Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. f4/2...exf4/3. Nf3/3...g5/4. Bc4/4...g4/5. O-O/5...gxf3/6. Qxf3

Muzio Gambit Muzio Gambit White recaptures with their queen and prepares to start a big attack as compensation for the lost knight. White attacks the f4 pawn and this is really a major threat; for example, 6...Nc6?, the so-called Holloway Defence, runs into trouble after 7. Qxf4! Qe7 (if 7...Nh6??, 8. Bxf7+! Ke7 9. Qf6# ends the game) 8. Bxf7+! Kd8 9. Nc3! (threatening Nd5). Black has two main options: 6...Qf6, the Sarratt Defence, is almost always played, defending the attacked f4 pawn while adding another defender to the weak f7 square and challenging White to prove sufficient compensation for the material loss. 6...Qe7, the From's Defence, has an interesting idea. If White gets greedy and captures the seemingly free f4 pawn, 7...Qc5+! picks up the bishop on c4.