Bird Opening: From's Gambit

About this variation

Black answers 1. f4 with 1...e5, offering a pawn to open lines against White's weakened king. It is the sharpest test of the Bird.

From's Gambit is 1. f4 e5. Black offers a pawn to open lines against White's king, which has been weakened by the f4 advance. After 2. fxe5 d6 3. exd6 Bxd6, Black has quick development and threats such as ...Qh4+ and ...Bxg3. White must play accurately, but with good defense White keeps the extra pawn.

White's main defense is 4. Nf3, stopping ...Qh4+ and developing. Black then often plays 4...g5, Lasker's Variation (Bird-Lasker, Newcastle 1892), threatening ...g4 to drive away the knight and renew the attack, or 4...Nf6, developing and preparing ...Ng4. White usually answers with d4, g3 or Nc3, depending on the line.

White can also avoid From's Gambit with 2. e4, transposing to the King's Gambit, which some Bird players prefer if they already play 1. e4. This is a practical choice for players who know the King's Gambit well.

Black's ideas include ...Qh4+ and ...Bxg3 tactics, ...g5-g4 to drive away the f3 knight, and ...Nf6-g4 to attack h2 and e3. Black's attack is dangerous if White is unprepared, but if White survives the first few moves, the extra pawn usually tells.

A common mistake for White is to develop the queenside knight with 4. Nc3?? before Nf3, which allows a quick mate with ...Qh4+. Every Bird player must know the key traps in From's Gambit before using the opening.

From's Gambit suits Black players who like sharp, attacking play and want to punish 1. f4. White players should learn the main lines with 4. Nf3, since they meet this gambit often at club level.

One line to know is 4. Nf3 g5 5. d4 g4 6. Ne5, when White puts the knight on a central square and Black often goes into an endgame with 6...Bxe5 7. dxe5 Qxd1+ 8. Kxd1 Nc6. White's king is in the center, but White keeps the extra pawn, and calm, accurate play usually leaves White better.

It is one of the main lines of the Bird Opening.