Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...c5/2. b4

Sicilian Wing Gambit
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black kingd7 black pawne7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black pawnd5 black kinge5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 white pawnc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black kingg4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 black kingg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 black kingc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 white knighth1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. e4 c5 2. b4
ECO code: B20
Parent: Sicilian Defence

Sicilian Wing Gambit

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2. b4 marks the Sicilian Wing Gambit. There are other wing gambits like this using the b-pawn (for instance, the Evans Gambit); however, this wing gambit is the most common one. The b-pawn push tries to undermine Black's c-pawn control of d4.

This gambit is unsound at the top level, and Black can safely accept it. However, it is common in amateur play.

Black's responses

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2...cxb4. Black usually accepts the gambit. White is most likely to play 3. a3 to try to develop the knight by either recapturing on a3 or going to c3.

2...d5. Black can always decline the gambit and attack White's e-pawn.

Theory table

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1. e4 c5 2. b4

  2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Evaluation
Wing Gambit Accepted ...
cxb4
a3
d5
exd5
Qxd5
Nf3
 
Wing Gambit Declined ...
d5
exd5
 

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

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References

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