A gambit in chess is when you sacrifice material for some sort of advantage later (positional or 's material). There are many gambits in chess but there are a few I love, such as the Queen's Gambit. This is a very simple gambit yet so complex at the same time. If you would like to read up on it check my blog on it: https://www.chess.com/blog/ZanderVanHornRdrgz/the-queens-gambit-opening.
One of my other favorite gambits is the Englund Gambit. It starts with 1. d4 e5. Temporarily sacrificing a pawn to win more material later. Your opponent is supposed to play 2. dxe5. then you play 2. ... Nc6. They play Nf6 defending the pawn in which you then play Qe7. They play Bf4 defending in which you play Qb4+, forking the b2 pawn, the bishop and the king. The bishop can block the check by retreating, but if they don't take the bishop. If they play Bd2, play Qxb2. If they play Bc3 defending the rook, pin the bishop with Bb4! They might play Qd2, play Bxc3, They are forced to lose the rook by playing Nxc3, if not they get checkmated as seen in the example below.
This gambit is one of the weaker gambits as after Qxb2 they can play Nc3.
Another favorite and well know gambit is the Tennison gambit, or as some may call it the ICMB(Intercontinental ballistic missile) gambit because it's overpowered. It starts with 1. e4 d5, the Scandinavian defense. You as white play Nf3.
They as a normal player play dxe4, you play Ng5 trying to get your pawn back. They play Nf6 defending the pawn. You play d3 attacking the pawn again, so they take with exd3. Take with the bishop(Bxd3). They might get annoyed with your knight and play h6. Sacrifice the Knight with Nxf6!! Forking the Queen and rook. The only reasonable move is Kxf2. You play Bg6+!! A discovered attack on the queen! It can't be defended. The best move is Kxg6. The king is now in the open when you play Qxd8, winning the queen.
They could play e6/e5, freeing the dark squared bishop's diagonal. Do not play Qxc1! After that they play Bb4+! Winning back the queen and going into an endgame where they win. Play Qxc2 instead.
The Stafford gambit is one of my newest favorites, and the last. It starts with 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6.
The Petroff's Defense. They get greedy and play Nxe5, You are humble and not greedy, so you play 2. ... Nc6. They take with Nxc6. You take back with dxc6. They get annoyed that e4 is attacked so they play a defending move(such as d3). You play Bc4, they play Bg5 pinning the Knight to the Queen. Sacrifice the Queen! With stunning move Nxe4!! If they take the knight you take the bishop. If they take the Queen play Bxf2+! Ke2 then Bg4 is checkmate!
Puzzles
Try the Englund Gambit:
Try the Tennison gambit:
