My New Favorite Gambit Tennison Gambit

Love this new gambit.

overrated! my record is 40:57 in 42 2...dxe4 games via the scandinavian move order. it's quit unsound even if black knows what he's doing and doesn't fall for the trap

I was unable to find this thread yesterday to post the refutations... the blue theory at on the last page is for rarely played lines

yeah I never said it was a great opening or one I would use in a serious game but it is a lot of fun to play

you want FUN? try the BDG!

as a scandinavian player myself? I've only faced it a few times, and I find the straight to 3.f3 gedult variation is virtually a no brainer to play! I studied the 3.Nc3 main line and had bad results with THAT, but saw my results with 3.f3 were actually winning, so I just stuck with the gedult. I'm not good at openings that play knight to c instead of f, but everyone else has good stats with mainline BDG

I played the tennison trap MYSELF over a decade ago and had some fun with it quick, but eventually my opponents wised up and I dropped it. I don't suggest the tennison gambit book either! lousy theory and even worse binding with the pages falling out as soon as I started opening the freakin' thing a couple times

then there was that day I beat a 2100 in just 1.5 moves!

your opponent will probably return the gambit pawn in order to avoid the ICBM, and then your sacrifices are toast

after 4.d3, I lost 2x 4...Bg4 games and won 2 each with 4...Bf5, 4...h6 and 4...Nc6. everyone else has good win rates with 4...Bg4 with 4...Bf5 a percent behind it. I should make THAT my main line, unless i start playing the roussaeu

playing 2...Bg4?! dragged me stats down a lot, but my overall stats accepting the gambit are 40:57 in 42 gambits. you don't gambit another gambiteer! LOL

I have winning stats on both sides of the BDG too.

yeah I have only got it to work twice the rest of the time I was a miserable fail