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Today, I started my morning with a game of 5 | 5 blitz and I was blessed with this cracker of a game! I’d played this on my laptop as the PC that I use as a workstation for my creative work (playing and recording games, video editing) has been plagued with system instability. I think that there is a fault with the motherboard unfortunately… 😢 So, this lovely quick game of the Queen Sacrifice Line in the Englund Gambit/Complex was just the nice pick-me-up I needed, leaving me with the glow of smug satisfaction. 😏

And as a bit of a morale boost (okay, ego boost!), this ended up being a rather accurate game, notwithstanding the technically unsound nature of the opening to begin with.

My Belgian opponent was a man of culture and led with the Queen’s Pawn Opening (1. d4), to which I responded with the uncivilised Englund Gambit (1… e5)! We clearly both knew the theory well and played to the Englund Complex (2. dxe5 Nc6 3. Nf3 Qe7 4. Bf4 Qb4+) position reflexively, using almost no time. Indeed, at the end of turn 4, we had both gained time and each had 5 min 16 sec on the clock.

Even more, my opponent with White taunted their mastery of the refutation of the Englund Complex by smashing out the next three critical moves:

• 5. Bd2! Qxb2
• 6. Nc3! Bb4
• 7. Rb1!

… at breakneck speed: 0.3 seconds, 0.3 seconds, and 1.2 seconds respectively!

For the White player who knows the refutation, they probably expect that Black is cooked. After all, (7… Qa3) is the only sensible move and White has a massive counterattack from this point. For this article, I analysed my opponent’s games on the brilliant tool OpeningTree.com. They were indeed a Queen’s Pawn Opening player and in fact, had refuted the Englund Complex 35 times prior to their game with me. In all 35 games, Black played (7… Qa3), and White had an overwhelming win majority (23 wins, 10 losses, 2 draws).

And thus lies the power of the Queen Sacrifice Line (7… Qxc3!?) – it’s unexpected, it’s transgressive, and it holds the initiative!

White had never played against the Queen Sacrifice Line before and there is something very disconcerting about it. One’s intuition is that it “must be wrong”. And yet, the following moves are practically forced (8. Bxc3 Bxc3+ 9. Nd2 Nxe5), and at the end, somehow it just doesn’t feel like White is obviously “winning”. I’ve previously described this line and position as the Rorschach of chess openings!

The unrelenting nature of this opening is part of the psychological play for Black. Where White should be confident in their ostensible [+3] advantage (according to the engine), moves feel uncomfortable and dangerous. White started playing hesitant tentative moves, taking 24 seconds to find (10. e3), their longest think yet. This move was “okay”, and White’s plan was to play closed and conservatively, and then castle kingside. Unfortunately, their logical follow up move under this schema (11. Be2??) was a blunder, which returns the evaluation back to equality, despite White’s material advantage!

You see, Black has an immediate attack target: the pinned d2-knight, which is defended only by the queen. White must refute this attack first and doesn’t have tempo to spare. I played (11… Ne4!) putting pressure on the pinned piece. White now spent over a minute-and-a-half finding their next move, and to their credit, they found the best response (12. Rb5), to which I had the simple (12… d6).

White was now poised on a knife’s edge. In the above position on turn 13, there is only a single good move which maintains equality. All other moves give an advantage to Black.

💡 Find the move before scrolling down!

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💡 Did you find it?

The solution is:

The only good move for White is the awkward looking Rd5, to add a defender to the pinned d2-knight! If you found this, well done! 👏👏👏

In the game, White played a sensible-looking alternative (13. f4??), but this is a blunder now favouring Black at better than [-2], starting with (13… Bxd2+). The superpower of the Queen Sac Line is twofold. Firstly, by breaking the taboo of queen sacrifices increases the willingness of our opponent to “give back” the queen. Secondly, doggedly attacking as the… underdog, can easily make White feel that they are losing, and this can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. In the game, White convinced themselves that they had to give back the queen to nerf my attack (14. Qxd2??).

Captures, captures, captures, captures… and at the end of turn 16, I emerged up 4 points of material through a pawn and an extra knight. The game progressed quickly for a few more turns, but it quickly entered an endgame where I held the material advantage, with White’s king exposed, and their remaining pawns in isolated islands. Gracefully, my opponent bowed out. Good game, GG!

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Learn how to play the best chess opening attacks in the Romantic style, including the Englund Gambit with my new book, “Become a Chess Assassin!” available now on your local Amazon store!

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2025.12.16"]
[Round "-"]
[White "ODume"]
[Black "vitualis"]
[Result "0-1"]
[CurrentPosition "2k1r3/ppp3pp/8/8/2n5/4P3/P1P1K1PP/7R w - - 2 23"]
[Timezone "UTC"]
[ECO "A40"]
[ECOUrl "https://www.chess.com/openings/Englund-Gambit-2.dxe5-Nc6-3.Nf3-Qe7"]
[UTCDate "2025.12.16"]
[UTCTime "22:17:40"]
[WhiteElo "1034"]
[BlackElo "1024"]
[TimeControl "300+5"]
[Termination "vitualis won by resignation"]
[StartTime "22:17:40"]
[EndDate "2025.12.16"]
[EndTime "22:23:52"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/pgn/2CYyhVSEqt/analysis?move=43"]
[WhiteUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/103870500.9159385a.50x50o.45550f88430f.jpeg"]
[WhiteCountry "5"]
[WhiteTitle ""]
[BlackUrl "https://images.chesscomfiles.com/uploads/v1/user/3711094.b9866645.50x50o.b3ba794d99f9.webp"]
[BlackCountry "17"]
[BlackTitle ""]

1. d4 {[%clk 0:05:04.9][%timestamp 1]} 1... e5 {[%clk 0:05:03.6][%timestamp 14]
Englund Gambit $1 Let's go $1} 2. dxe5 {[%clk 0:05:07.7][%timestamp 22]} 2... Nc6
{[%clk 0:05:08.1][%timestamp 5]} 3. Nf3 {[%clk 0:05:12.2][%timestamp 5]} 3...
Qe7 {[%clk 0:05:12.1][%timestamp 10]} 4. Bf4 {[%clk 0:05:16.8][%timestamp 4]}
4... Qb4+ {[%clk 0:05:16][%timestamp 11][%c_arrow
b4b2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;b4;to;b2;persistent;false,b4e1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;b4;to;e1;persistent;false,b4f4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;b4;to;f4;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b2;persistent;false,e1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e1;persistent;false,f4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f4;persistent;false]
Englund Complex $1 Rawl $1} 5. Bd2 $1 {[%clk 0:05:21.5][%timestamp 3][%c_effect
d2;square;d2;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_highlight
d2;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false] White, a man of
Belgian man of culture who plays the Queen's Pawn Opening, effortlessly plays
the refutation line $1} 5... Qxb2 {[%clk 0:05:19.8][%timestamp 12]} 6. Nc3 $1 {[%clk
0:05:26.2][%timestamp 3][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false,d2;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false]}
6... Bb4 {[%clk 0:05:20.6][%timestamp 42]} 7. Rb1 $1 {[%clk 0:05:30][%timestamp
12][%c_effect b1;square;b1;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_highlight
b1;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;b1;persistent;false,c3;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false,d2;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false]
White played the three moves in 0.3, 0.3, and 1.2 seconds. I imagine that he's
thinking, \"I'm going to crush this fool trying to play the Englund Gambit trap
line $1\".} 7... Qxc3 $5 {[%clk 0:05:25.2][%timestamp 4][%c_effect
c3;square;c3;type;Interesting;persistent;true][%c_highlight
c3;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;c3;persistent;false] But in blitz, the
\"Queen Sacrifice Line\", aka the Hambleton Variation, is extremely winning $1
LET'S GO $3} 8. Bxc3 {[%clk 0:05:25][%timestamp 100]} 8... Bxc3+ {[%clk
0:05:29.3][%timestamp 9][%c_arrow
c3e1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;c3;to;e1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e1;persistent;false]} 9. Nd2 {[%clk
0:05:24.5][%timestamp 55]} 9... Nxe5 {[%clk 0:05:33.4][%timestamp 9] The
Rorschach of chess openings $1 I'm not locked in here with you, you're locked in
here with ME $1 Rawl $1} 10. e3 {[%clk 0:05:05.9][%timestamp 236]} 10... Nf6 {[%clk
0:05:35.5][%timestamp 29][%c_arrow
f6e4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;f6;to;e4;persistent;false,e4d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;e4;to;d2;persistent;false,c3e1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;c3;to;e1;persistent;false]
White is now spending a lot of time trying to find moves. In this initial phase
immediately after the trades, we attempt to exploit the pin.} 11. Be2 $4 {[%clk
0:05:07.2][%timestamp 37][%c_arrow
b1b3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;b1;to;b3;persistent;false,f1d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;f1;to;d3;persistent;false,f2f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;f2;to;f3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
b3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;b3;persistent;false,d3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d3;persistent;false,f3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f3;persistent;false,e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e2;persistent;false][%c_effect
e2;square;e2;type;Blunder;persistent;true] This is the second most common move
occurring a third of the time from the position, and it blunders from about +3
to +0.2. The game is basically equal in evaluation, which means that White is
WORSE as Black has the initiative $1} 11... Ne4 $1 {[%clk 0:05:35.3][%timestamp
52][%c_effect e4;square;e4;type;GreatFind;persistent;true][%c_highlight
e4;keyPressed;alt;opacity;0.8;square;e4;persistent;false,d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false][%c_arrow
e4d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;e4;to;d2;persistent;false,c3e1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;c3;to;e1;persistent;false]
Winning $1} 12. Rb5 {[%clk 0:03:46.3][%timestamp 859]} 12... d6 {[%clk
0:05:11][%timestamp 293]} 13. f4 $4 {[%clk 0:03:47.8][%timestamp 35][%c_effect
f4;square;f4;type;Blunder;persistent;true][%c_highlight
f4;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f4;persistent;false,d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d5;persistent;false][%c_arrow
b5d5;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;b5;to;d5;persistent;false] White had a
single good move, which is the extremely difficult to find Rd5 defending the
pinned d2-knight $1 All other moves give the advantage to Black $1} 13... Bxd2+
{[%clk 0:04:03.3][%timestamp 727]} 14. Qxd2 $4 {[%clk 0:03:46.2][%timestamp
66][%c_arrow
e1f1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;e1;to;f1;persistent;false][%c_highlight
f1;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;f1;persistent;false,d2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;d2;persistent;false][%c_effect
d2;square;d2;type;Blunder;persistent;true] The superpower of the Queen Sac Line
is twofold. Firstly, by breaking the taboo of queen sacrifices increases the
willingness of our opponent to \"give back\" the queen. Secondly, the doggedly
attacking as the... underdog, it can easily make White FEEL that they are
losing $1 And the reality can often following the feeling. In this game, White
convinced themselves that they had to give back the queen to nerf the attack.
Except, it doesn't $1} 14... Nxd2 {[%clk 0:04:06.8][%timestamp 15]} 15. fxe5
{[%clk 0:03:49.7][%timestamp 15]} 15... Ne4 {[%clk 0:03:56.4][%timestamp 154]
And on turn 15, we've both lost our queens, but I emerge an additional minor
piece and pawn ahead in material $1} 16. exd6 {[%clk 0:03:51.6][%timestamp 31]}
16... Nxd6 {[%clk 0:03:59.4][%timestamp 20]} 17. Re5+ {[%clk
0:03:54.1][%timestamp 25]} 17... Be6 {[%clk 0:03:58.3][%timestamp 61]} 18. Bg4
{[%clk 0:03:53.3][%timestamp 58]} 18... O-O-O {[%clk 0:03:38.9][%timestamp 244]}
19. Bxe6+ {[%clk 0:03:55.8][%timestamp 25]} 19... fxe6 {[%clk
0:03:42.4][%timestamp 15]} 20. Rxe6 {[%clk 0:04:00.5][%timestamp 3]} 20... Rhe8
{[%clk 0:03:45.5][%timestamp 19][%c_arrow
e8e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;e8;to;e3;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e3;persistent;false] Skewer $1 Forcing a
trade or winning yet another pawn $1} 21. Rxe8 {[%clk 0:03:59.7][%timestamp 58]}
21... Rxe8 {[%clk 0:03:49.1][%timestamp 14]} 22. Ke2 {[%clk
0:04:04.6][%timestamp 1]} 22... Nc4 {[%clk 0:03:42.5][%timestamp 116][%c_effect
c8;square;c8;type;Winner;animated;true,e2;square;e2;type;ResignWhite;animated;true][%c_arrow
c4e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;c4;to;e3;persistent;false,e8e2;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;from;e8;to;e2;persistent;false][%c_highlight
e3;keyPressed;none;opacity;0.8;square;e3;persistent;false] Emotional damage, and
White resigned. Good game, GG $1 The feeling $2 Smug satisfaction $1} 0-1