Gambits against d4

A lot of people avoid this one, but it's playable if you ask me:
You could also try this (again, people avoid it, but it works) :

A lot of people avoid this one, but it's playable if you ask me:
You could also try this (again, people avoid it, but it works) :
Englund doesn't work. But 1...c5 works, since you can always get the pawn back.

Albin countergambit and Hennig Schara gambit are pretty sharp openings against d4. Much More tactical than the Benko imho. The Baltic and chigorin defense of the QGD are not gambits but might fit, as they can Immediately become wild and tactically complex.Blumenfeld and Vaganian gambitS are cousins of the Benko. The English attack can become a gambit pretty quickly too I think.
It’s definitely playable at 1400 though 🤣. Also, the OP happens to be a 1400 player... I see a match 🤔

Thanks for the suggestion
A very sound and aggressive one: the Benko Gambit
[snip]
Also, Gambit and Initiative are not synonymous!
The Budapest Gambit, White can return the pawn and force Black into an extremely passive position.
[snip]
out of curiosity, which line for white forces black into a passive position? Is it the Alekhine attack?
Yes, Alekhine's variation is best for forcing black into a passive position, although you have some positional weaknesses.
Additionally, black can still gambit a pawn:

Also, someone mentioned the Englund.
I used to play it, and still mess around with it in blitz.
It can easily be refuted. If you like getting your queen harrassed and your king staying in the center, go for it!

Here is a bullet game I saw once, where a 1400 player beat grandmaster Maxim Dlugy with the Budapest.
I think it was played on ICC, if I recall.



Thanks for the suggestion
A very sound and aggressive one: the Benko Gambit
[snip]
Also, Gambit and Initiative are not synonymous!
The Budapest Gambit, White can return the pawn and force Black into an extremely passive position.
[snip]
out of curiosity, which line for white forces black into a passive position? Is it the Alekhine attack?
Yes, Alekhine's variation is best for forcing black into a passive position, although you have some positional weaknesses.
Additionally, black can still gambit a pawn:

Thanks for the suggestion
A very sound and aggressive one: the Benko Gambit
[snip]
Also, Gambit and Initiative are not synonymous!
The Budapest Gambit, White can return the pawn and force Black into an extremely passive position.
[snip]
out of curiosity, which line for white forces black into a passive position? Is it the Alekhine attack?
Yes, Alekhine's variation is best for forcing black into a passive position, although you have some positional weaknesses.
Additionally, black can still gambit a pawn:
I think in the line you show, 4...h5 can easily be met with 5. h3, where your h pawn advance weakens your kingside greatly in an opening where you are already struggling for development.

yes, @matthewfreitag , T. Taylor comments that 5.h3 is most challenging. But I didn't bother reading that section anyways because I have never encountered Alekhine Attack. But apparently there's a solution somewhere.