Chess opening · ECO A51
Indian Defense: Budapest Gambit
2...e5 answers 2.c4 in the Budapest Gambit, offering the e-pawn to break up White's queen's pawn center at once. After 3.dxe5 Black has two ways to go: 3...Ng4, which attacks the pawn and tries to win it back, and 3...Ne4, which puts the knight in the middle and plays for activity first.
- Rank by weighted share
- #106 of 159
Key moves
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e5
- 2... e5The pawn strikes d4 before White has developed a piece. If White takes, the pawn lands on e5, where Black's knights, queen and bishop can gang up on it. If White answers 3.d5 instead, the e5 pawn stays and claims central space for Black.
The ...Ng4 recovery plan
After 3.dxe5 Ng4 the knight hits e5, and ...Nc6 adds a second attacker. White often defends with Bf4 and Nf3, so Black brings more force: ...Bb4+ to disturb White's development and ...Qe7 to pile onto e5 down the file.
When Black regains the pawn, material is level again and the game turns into a normal middlegame. White then tries to use the time Black spent on the recapture.
When White declines with d5
3.d5 refuses the offer and gains space. The center closes with pawns on c4 and d5 against e5, and Black's dark-squared bishop has an open path to c5 or b4 because the e7 pawn has already moved.
The trap on d3
3. dxe5 Ng4 4. Bf4 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bb4+ 6. Nbd2 Qe7 7. a3 Ngxe5 8. axb4 Nd3#
White tries to win the bishop with a3 and axb4, but the knight lands on d3 with mate. The queen on e7 pins the e2 pawn, the c-pawn has already left c2, and nothing else can take on d3.
Top replies by rating
Taking with dxe5 tops every band, and its share is widest at 2000 and up. The quiet d5 holds second place in each band.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1200–1399 | dxe5 64% | d5 16% | e3 14% |
| 1400–1599 | dxe5 55% | d5 24% | Nc3 8% |
| 1600–1799 | dxe5 61% | d5 24% | e3 7% |
| 1800–1999 | dxe5 70% | d5 16% | e3 6% |
| 2000 and up | dxe5 84% | d5 8% | e3 5% |
Questions
What does the pawn buy Black?
Time and targets. White's queen's pawn is gone from d4, Black's pieces come out with threats against e5, and White has to spend moves defending the e5 pawn while Black brings pieces out.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.