Sound Gambits

What do you think is the most sound gambit in opening theory and why?  I think that the Marshall Gambit ranks right up there.

I think the Queen's Gambit is the soundest gambit. It's so sound that it's not even considered a gambit!

I think part of it depends on the caliber of the players involved in the game. For example, Im a fan of the Smith-Morra Gambit. Is it sound? At the GM level, maybe not, but can another patzer at my level of chess turn the imbalances created by the gambit into a win? Not consistently. So, if I know the gambit better than someone at my level, I have a better shot at winning the game, even if the position isn't exactly "sound".

The Queen's Gambit is not a gambit because White can win the pawn back immediately with Qa4+.  I think the Budapest Ng4 variation is sound as well.

KillaBeez wrote:

 I think the Budapest Ng4 variation is sound as well.

I don't know about that, I used to get beat up pretty bad playing that line.  Finally I just gave it up.  I don't think the Smith-Morra is particularly sound either, black gains equality or a better position as long as he doesn't play passively & aviods traps.

I think it is good.  Black may have a slight disadvantage if White declines the gambit, but he reaches a playable position that he likes instead of his opponent.  If White accepts the pawn, his pieces become tied up and White's pawn structure becomes an absolute wreck.  Great for surprise value too!

I think the smith morra is sound, at best black gains equaility which black can do regardless of what opening white plays. I also think the evans gambit is sound for the same reasons.

I don't think that the Budapest is sound. Black wastes too much time getting the pawn back.

EDIT: It should be 5. f4, not Nf3.

The Smith Morra is sound. I think also think that the Scotch Game where white loses a pawn is very sound, if not better for white.

The Budapest is sound.  I think the Scotch Gambit is sound.  It transposes into a lot of highly regarded openings and even in its independent lines, it gives White very good compensation.

@Basic, on move 5 white can play Nb5 with an interesting game.

On topic, I like the Benko and the evans, and it seems that many of the 'unsound' gambits don't necessarily lose (even for black!) against proper play, it just makes it much much harder to hold.

 KB,

 A good book to help evaluate your question would be COUNTER GAMBITS: BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN, by Harding.  He covers a lot of ground and a lot of gambits in the 222 pages. 

KB,

   The Budapest Defense (with Ng4) receives very good coverage in UNORTHODOX CHESS OPENINGS, by Eric Shiller.  We can alway get updates from other familiar sources as time goes by.  In a sense, Black recovers his pawn much like in the Queen's Gambit.  The Fajarowitz Defense (with the counter part move Ne4) is much less sound, but perhaps more dangerous.

The Budapest is sound, but perhaps not at Grandmaster level, where one dubious move can cost you the game.

I like the Albin Counter-Gambit, but it's unsound. This thread is about sound gambits...

Hmm...

The gambit in the Catalin that Chess.com played against cheater_1 is sound.

The Budapest Gambit would have to be studied before being played.  I just don't quite get that one.

Two Knights is sound! (although not some variations...)

And so is the King's Gambit (ditto)

Yes, the Two Knights is sound. I believe that it gives Black an advantage if White goes for the pawn.

in regards to the above ...8:Qf3 is a much better try than 8:Be2 IMO i have used Qf3 and won quite a few games.

Call me crazy but the 'soundest' gambit imho (even 'sounder' than our non-gambit QG) is the Kings Gambit.  There is just no way for black to come out with advantage... in fact I think equalizing is tough.