Swiss Gambit

The Swiss Gambit is a chess opening which is an offshoot of Bird's Opening (1.f4) and begins with the moves:

1. f4 f5

2. e4

Swiss Gambit

a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Moves	1.f4 f5 2.e4
ECO	A02
Parent	Bird's Opening

Published theory

The following were the main lines of the Swiss Gambit given by F. A. Lange in 1859:

• 2...fxe4 3.Qh5+
• 2...fxe4 3.f5
• 2...fxe4 3.Bc4
• 2...fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d3

Polish theoretician Alexander Wagner (1868–1942) published an article entitled A New Gambit. The Swiss Gambit in 1912. The Wagner Gambit begins with the moves: 1.f4 f5 2.e4 fxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g4.^[1]

Other uses

The term "Swiss Gambit" is also used colloquially to describe a strategy for Swiss system tournaments. In a "Swiss Gambit", a player loses or draws against weaker players early in the tournament, in the hope of being paired against weaker opposition in later rounds and finishing in the prize money.^[2]

See also

• List of chess openings
• List of chess openings named after places