Englund Gambit Trap
The Englund Gambit Trap: after 1.d4 e5 White defends the extra pawn with Bf4, loses b2 and is mated on c1. The full line, the refutation and fall rates.
Black gives a pawn on move one and aims the queen at b2. The gambit is unsound, and White is close to winning if he knows one move. Without it the game can be over by move eight.
How the Englund Gambit Trap works
Click a card to see it on the board, then play the punishment yourself.
How often does it work?
Counted in real rated Lichess games, not estimated.
| Rating | Reached the position | Played 6.Bc3? | Fall rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1200–1400 | 381 games | 129 | 34% |
| 1500–1700 | 493 games | 117 | 24% |
| 1900–2100 | 318 games | 56 | 18% |
Sample: up to 1,000,000 rated Lichess games per rating band (May 2024), same move order only.
How to avoid the Englund Gambit Trap
What White should play instead.
Other versions of the trap
The same idea from a different move order.
Now spot it in a real game
Knowing a trap by name is not the same as seeing it at the board. Solve positions from real games until the pattern fires by itself.
Englund Gambit Trap
Getting there…After 5...Qxb2 White is still much better, but 6.Bc3?? defends the rook and loses the game. 6...Bb4! pins the bishop to the king. If 7.Qd2 Bxc3 8.Qxc3, then 8...Qc1 is mate, and any other move loses the rook on a1.