How to Play the Halloween Gambit Chess Opening

Playing any gambit in chess is risky: If you don't understand the ideas behind the gambit, you start the game with less material than your opponent, and that is usually not good. However, when you begin to understand the underlying ideas behind the loss of material, winning and/or drawing chances are good! Losing a pawn or a piece right in the opening is a fun, double-edged way to play chess if you know how to continue the line.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. 

   Play 1. e4, the most popular first move in chess.

2. 

   Play 2. Nf3 after black plays e5. This develops a piece and attacks the pawn.

3. 

   Play 3. Nc3 after black moves Nc6, defending the e pawn. So far, this is the Four Knights Opening, a popular opening with some decent center tension. However, the next move sets it apart and into a class of its own.

4. 

   Play 4. Nxe5 after black moves Nf6. This is the gambit portion of the opening, giving a piece away for a pawn.

5. 

   Play 5. d5 after black takes your knight. Now white has a huge center, which is the point of the opening in the first place.

Tips & Warnings

• As with any gambit in chess, one must play with caution, because material is uneven.
• Of course, you probably will not master this opening in a day. Be prepared to lose some games before you understand it completely.
• The point of this opening is that white gets a huge central advantage with both the d and e pawns unchallenged.

Resources

• Critical Lines in the Halloween Gambit