Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. Nf3/2...f5

Latvian gambit
	a b c d e f g h 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 a b c d e f g h
	Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkbnr/pppp2pp/8/4pp2/4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R
	Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5
	ECO code: C40
	Parent: King's knight opening

2...f5? · Latvian gambit

The Latvian gambit is an aggressive counterattack. It is utterly unsound but sharp and has some practical chances against unprepared players. Rather than defend the attack on their e5 pawn, Black counterattacks and threatens ...fxe4. Black intends to prise open White's control of the centre, even at the cost of a pawn and the opening of the weakening e8-h5 diagonal. White can take either pawn and sharp play ensues.

3. Nxe5 is the main line. White takes the undefended e-pawn. This offers the e4 pawn back to Black in trade, but they dare not take it yet because of 3...fxe4?? 4. Qh5+! and White wins an exchange or more. 3...Qf6 is the main move, attacking the knight and adding control to g6 (so that 4. Qh5+? g6 gets White nowhere), then White has a choice of 4. d4 or 4. Nc4. 3...Nf6 to prevent Qh5+ is an alternative.

Several other third moves are winning for White, though they are all much less common.

3. exf5, accepting the gambit, is also playable. Black's idea is 3...e5 to first kick the knight. (3...Nf6 is safer, but if Black wanted safety they shouldn't have played 2...f5?.) 4. Nd4 is the sharpest move, threatening Nxc7+. 4...Qe5 defends c7 while attacking the knight. 5. Qe2 defends the knight and threatens d4!, forcing Black's queen away from control of c7. If 4. Ne5 Nf6 is necessary to prevent Qh5+ and overwhelming control of f7: 4...Qf6 fails because White's pawn on f5 adds control to g6.

3. Nc3 is called the Mlotkowski variation. The idea is not to answer 3...fxe4 with 4. Nxe4 (4...d5 5. Ng3 e4 6. Nd4 Bc5=, Black gets a big centre and the initiative and it is hard for White to exploit their open king) but with 4. Nxe5.

3. d4 is the sharp Mason countergambit.

3. Bc4? is the extraordinary Mayet attack. White concentrates on exploiting the weakened kingside and allows Black to take 3...fxe4, planning 4. Nxe5 d5 5. Qh5+, where 5...Ke7?? leads to forced mate. If Black finds the right moves, which include the shocking 5...g6!, sacrificing the exchange, then they equalise, though the position is sharp. 6. Nxg6 hxg6 7. Qxh8 Kf7 protects the knight, White's queen is almost trapped and White's bishop is still hanging.

4...Qg5 is the old line, attacking the knight and g2. If Black avoids ...fxe4 until after they have played 3...Nf6, "playing it safe" and defending the kingside against infiltration by Qh5, then they are no worse than they would have been after 3. Nxe5 or 3. exf5―which is to say, they are much worse and White is winning.

History

The Latvian gambit is also known as the Greco countergambit after Gioachino Greco (1600–1634).

Theory table

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5?!

	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
1	d4 fxe4	Nxe5 Nf6	Be2 d6	Ng4 Be7											=
2	Bc4 fxe4	Nxe5 Qg5?!	d4! Qxg2	Qh5+ g6	Bf7+ Kd8	Bxg6 Qxh1	Ke2 Qxc1	Nf7+ Ke8	Nxh8+ hxg6	Qxg6+ Kd8	Nf7+ Ke7	Nc3 Qxc2+	Ke1 d6	Nd5+	±
	... ...	... d5!	Qh5+ g6	Nxg6 hxg6	Qxg6+ Ke7	d4 e3	Bxe3 Qd6	Bg5+ Kd7	Qf7+ Ne7						=
3	Nc3 fxe4	Nxe5 Qf6	d4 exd3	Nxd3 c6											+/=
4	exf5 e4	Ne5 Nf6	Be2 d6	Bh5+ Ke7											+/=
Main Line 5	Nxe5 Qf6	d4 d6	Nc4 fxe4	Nc3 Qg6											+/=