Chess Openings Lab
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Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Brooklyn

The Reversed Brooklyn arises after 1.d4 e5 2.Nf3 e4 3.Ng1, where White's kicked knight goes straight back home. White has spent two moves to end where it started, and Black wants to use the time with ...d5, ...Nf6 and fast development.

Moves
1.d4 e5 2.Nf3 e4 3.Ng1
ECO
A40
Engine
−0.48 · a slight edge for Black (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
186 games in our lichess sample
White scores
46.2%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Play c4 to hit d5 and fight for central space against Black's advanced e4 pawn.
  • Develop Nc3 and later f3 to attack the e4 pawn from the side and open the f-file.
  • Against ...h6, use Bf4 to develop the dark-squared bishop outside the e3 pawn before closing the center.

Black

  • Play ...d5 and ...Nf6, building a strong center with the e4 pawn and a free hand for development.
  • Use ...c6 to support d5, then ...Bb4 to pin a knight on c3 and trade it if needed.
  • Develop quickly with ...Nf6, ...Bd6 and ...O-O, turning the extra tempi into a lead in development.

Plans and pawn structure

Black has a French Advance structure with colors reversed and two extra tempi. The e4 pawn cramps White's kingside, and Black's pieces develop easily behind it. White aims to break with c4 and f3, while Black supports the chain with ...d5 and ...c6. If White trades on d5 and then plays Nc3, Black can exchange knights and leave White with doubled c-pawns, as in the main engine line.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.48: a slight edge for Black. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. −0.48 3...d5 4.c4 Nf6 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Nc3
  2. −0.38 3...c6 4.c4 d5 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Qa4
  3. −0.21 3...h6 4.Bf4 d5 5.e3 Nf6 6.c4

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

186 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 46.2%.

1200–159948.2%
1600–199942.9%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

How to play against it

For Black: take the center with ...d5 and develop. Don't rush ...f5; finish development first. When c4 hits d5, react with ...c6 or ...Nf6 rather than taking on c4 too early. Black's results here are good, so simple, healthy moves are enough.

Questions

What are the moves of the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Brooklyn?

The Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Brooklyn starts 1.d4 e5 2.Nf3 e4 3.Ng1. Its ECO code is A40.

Is the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Brooklyn good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.48 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for Black. Comfortable for Black; White has to find c4 and f3 breaks to avoid being squeezed.

What is the main idea of the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Brooklyn?

White retreats the knight to g1 after ...e4 and loses time. Black gets a strong center with ...d5 and a lead in development.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is d5, with c6 and h6 close behind. ...d5 supports e4 and builds Black's center while White is still undeveloped.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.