Irish Gambit

Chicago Gambit

a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Moves	1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nxe5 Nxe5 4.d4
ECO	C44
Origin	Phillips vs. Pillsbury (c. 1898)
Named after	Chicago, United States
Parent	King's Knight Opening
Synonym(s)	Irish Gambit

The Chicago Gambit, ^[1] also known as the Irish Gambit, ^[2] is a chess opening that begins with the following moves:

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. Nxe5 Nxe5

4. d4 ^[3]

Description

D. T. Phillips used the opening to defeat Harry Nelson Pillsbury in a simultaneous exhibition in Chicago. According to The Oxford Companion to Chess , the game took place in 1898, but Chessgames.com gives January 7, 1899, as the date. ^{[1] [4]}

The Oxford Companion to Chess contains the following story about the origins of the opening:

On his death bed the anonymous inventor was asked what subtlety lay behind his gambit (so the tale runs), and his last words were: 'I hadn't seen the king's pawn was defended.' ^[2]

The Chicago Gambit is considered unsound, and has been compared to the Müller–Schulze Gambit. ^[1]

See also

• List of chess openings
• List of chess openings named after places

References

1. Hooper & Whyld (1992), pp. 76–77.
2. Hooper & Whyld (1992), p. 182.
3. Hooper & Whyld (1992), p. 476.
4. "D. T. Phillips vs. Harry Pillsbury". Chessgames.com . Chessgames Services LLC.

Bibliography

• Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1992). The Oxford Companion to Chess (2nd ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-866164-9.