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Tennison Gambit

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Chess opening
Tennison Gambit
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8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishopg8 black knighth8 black rooka7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawne7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawnd5 black pawne4 white pawnf3 white knighta2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawna1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishoph1 white rook8
77
66
55
44
33
22
11
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Moves1.Nf3 d5 2.e4
or
1.e4 d5 2.Nf3
ECOA06
Named afterOtto Mandrup Tennison
ParentZukertort Opening
Synonym(s)Abonyi Gambit
Black Rook's Gambit
Lemberg Gambit
Lviv Gambit
Polish Gambit
Zukertort Gambit
ICBM Gambit
ICBM Variation

The Tennison Gambit is a chess opening in which White gambits a pawn. The opening moves begin with either the Zukertort Opening:

1. Nf3 d5
2. e4

or the Scandinavian Defense:

1. e4 d5
2. Nf3

The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings code for the Tennison Gambit is A06.

A popular continuation of the Tennison Gambit is also popularly known as the ICBM Gambit.

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

History

The first person to significantly research this opening was chess amateur Otto Mandrup Tennison (1834–1909). Tennison was born in Denmark, studied in Germany and moved to the United States in 1854. There, he played in the chess clubs of New Orleans. Many strong players picked up the idea from the first half of the 20th century.

After 2...dxe4 3.Ng5

  • White intends to tempt Black to play 3...Nf6?! After 4.d3 exd3 5.Bxd3 h6??, White wins with 6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.Bg6+ Kxg6 8.Qxd8. This continuation has been referred to as the "Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Variation", coined by YouTuber Bosnian Ape Society in a video in which instead of 8.Qxd8, White launches an anti-tank missile at Black. The name "Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Variation", along with "ICBM Variation" or "ICBM Gambit", has been used by noted players such as IM Levy Rozman. After 4.Bc4 e6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Ngxe4 Nxe4 7.Nxe4 b5 8.Be2 Bb7 9.Bf3 White had the advantage in Ermenkov–Bonchev, Bulgaria 1970.
  • 3...e5! 4.Nxe4 f5! favors Black.
  • 3...Bf5 and Black has the better position. A continuation might be 4.Nc3 Nf6 and Black keeps the advantage in a solid position.

Notable games

Otto M. Tennison vs. NN, New Orleans 1891:
1. Nf3 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Ng5 f5 4. Bc4 Nh6 5. Nxh7 Rxh7 6. Qh5+ Kd7 7. Qg6 Rh8 8. Be6+ Kc6 9. Bxc8+ Qd6 10. Qe8+ Kb6 11. Qa4 1–0 If 11...Qc6 then 12.Qb3+ Ka6 13.Nc3 any 14.Bxb7+; 11...e6 12.a3, etc. (Tennison)

See also

References

  1. Schiller, Eric. Gambit Opening Repertoire for White – Tennison Gambit (pp. 171–78). Cardoza Publishing. ISBN 0940685787
  2. Virginia Newsletter (1998). pp. 13–15
  3. 365.com – A06: Tennison (Lemberg, Zukertort) gambit
  4. Tennison gambit Collection Chessgames.com
  5. Reti Opening A06 Chessgames.com
  6. "The ICBM Gambit - Chess Forums". Chess.com. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  7. Wall, Bill. Tennison Gambit.
  8. Otto M. Tennison Chessgames.com
  9. "Tennison Gambit Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Variation". YouTube. 11 October 2020.
  10. ^ "INTERCONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE GAMBIT". YouTube. 5 December 2020.
  11. Benjamin, Joel; Schiller, Eric (1987). "Tennison Gambit". Unorthodox Openings. Macmillan Publishing Company. p. 79. ISBN 0-02-016590-0.

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