Petrov's Defense:Stafford Gambit

A tricky gambit that became popular in online chess in the 2020s. Black gives up the e5 pawn for quick development and a string of traps.

It is reached after 6 moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6. It is a line of the Petrov's Defense.

White is to move and has 35 legal moves. Over the next four moves — two for each side — the game can branch into 1,128,482 different games. Those games reach 389,728 different positions: most positions can be reached in more than one way, 2.9 on average.

The Lichess opening list names 3 further lines after this position, such as Stafford Gambit Accepted (4. Nxc6 dxc6).

The same moves can be played in 10 different legal orders that all reach this position. For example 1. Nf3 e5 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6, which starts as the Zukertort Opening.