Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...Nf6/3. Nxe5/3...Nc6/4. Nxc6/4...dxc6/5. Nc3/5...Bc5

Stafford gambit C42 Stafford gambit 5...Bc5 5...Bc5 pressures White's vulnerable f2 pawn. This position should be winning for White but can be difficult for an unprepared White player to play. Black would like to follow up with 6...Ng4 to join the attack on f2. If White allows ...Ng4, e.g. 6. Bc4?, a common club-level mistake6. Bc4? is the top move in the Lichess player database with 31%., they can quickly become overwhelmed. 6...Ng4 7. O-O?? (to prevent Bxf2+) Qh4! then 8. g3?? Qxh2# or 8. h3 Nxf2 9. Qf3?? Nxh3 and Black has mate in 6. For White to forestall the attack, they must control the g4 square. 6. Be2? appears to control g4 (as in the line 5. d3 Bc4 6. Be2). However, the 5. Nc3 line is more perilous for White than the 5. d3 one: here 6. Be2? is a mistake because Black can bring another attacker to e4 with tempo. 6...Qd4 (threatening Qxf2#, attacking e4) 7. O-O Nxe4 8. Nxe4 Qxe4 and Black recovers their pawn. Therefore White's best reply is 6. h3 to control g4. Black usually continues 6...h5, fighting for control of g4 and preparing to pry open the h file should White castle. If 6...Qd4, White can respond 7. Qf3 by virtue of not having played Be2. 6. Qe2!? (or 6. Qf3!?) is an interesting try. The purpose is not for the queen to guard f2 herself (6...Ng4 7. h3 Bxf2+ 8. Qxf2 Nxf2 9. Kxf2 and black is up a queen for two minors) but to open the d1 square for the surprising backwards knight move 7. Nd1only, from where the knight defends f2. The most common other continuations are mistakes that allow Black to regain their lost ground. 6. d3? Ng4 Be3. White may think to diffuse the threat on f2 by intercepting Black's bishop. However, after 7. Nxe3 fxe3 8. Bxe3-, Black has recovered their pawn. 6. d4? is an audacious play to open up the bishop with tempo and play 6...Bxd4 7. Bg5 to pin Black's knight. However, Black can respond 7...h6 8. Bxf6 Qxf6-- and renew the threat. 8. Bh4!? is interesting in that does bring another defender to f2, but is unlikely to provide enough compensation. Theory table References Petrov Defence