Chess Openings Lab
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Englund Gambit: Zilbermints Gambit

The Zilbermints Gambit is 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nge7, where the king's knight heads for g6 to hit the e5 pawn again. It is dubious, but the plan is logical: Black wants to regain e5 with ...Ng6 while developing quickly.

Moves
1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nge7
ECO
A40
Engine
+1.69 · a large advantage for White (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
359 games in our lichess sample
White scores
51.4%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Develop Nc3 and Bg5, trading off Black's dark-squared bishop and then jumping Nd5 to hit the queen.
  • Play e4 and Be3 for a broad center and fast development, accepting the loss of e5 if needed.
  • Use Bf4 to defend e5, but watch for ...h6, ...g5 and ...g4 kicking the bishop and the knight.

Black

  • Play ...Ng6 to attack e5 twice and win the pawn back with a knight.
  • Develop ...Be7 and castle quickly, keeping both knights trained on the e5 pawn.
  • Use ...h6 and ...g5 against a bishop on f4 to drive away the e5 pawn's defenders.

Plans and pawn structure

White can keep the pawn with Bf4 or give it back for development with Nc3 and Bg5. Black's knights on c6 and g6 both hit e5, and Black develops quickly with ...Be7 and ...O-O. If White trades the dark-squared bishops and lands a knight on d5, Black's queen is pushed back and the position becomes passive. Results are close to even in club play, so the practical sting is real.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position +1.69: a large advantage for White. Its three top choices for White:

  1. +1.69 4.Nc3 Ng6 5.Bg5 Be7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7
  2. +1.65 4.e4 Ng6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Be3 O-O
  3. +1.51 4.Bf4 h6 5.e4 g5 6.Be3 g4

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

359 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 51.4%.

1200–159955.7%
1600–199952.0%
2000 and up44.2%

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

How to play against it

For White: develop quickly with Nc3 and Bg5, or e4 and Be3. Don't hang onto e5 at any cost; returning it for development is fine. Watch for ...g5 and ...g4 kicking your pieces if you choose Bf4. Trading dark-squared bishops first takes the sting out of Black's play.

Questions

What are the moves of the Englund Gambit: Zilbermints Gambit?

The Englund Gambit: Zilbermints Gambit starts 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Nge7. Its ECO code is A40.

Is the Englund Gambit: Zilbermints Gambit good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position +1.69 at depth 20, which is a large advantage for White. In 359 lichess games from our sample, White scored 51.4%. Dubious but practical in fast games; White needs to develop sensibly rather than cling to the pawn.

What is the main idea of the Englund Gambit: Zilbermints Gambit?

Black reroutes the king's knight to g6 to win back e5. White develops quickly and can return the pawn if needed, aiming for Bg5 and Nd5.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is Nc3, with e4 and Bf4 close behind. Nc3 develops and prepares Bg5 and Nd5 against Black's queen and bishop.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.