Chessy
The Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Alekhine d6 — How to Prosecute as White
If your opponent plays 1.d4 e5, they're trying to drag you off-book with the Englund Gambit. After 2.Nf3 d6, you can simply take the pawn: 3.dxe5. Most club players expect 3.Nxe5? and have nothing prepared for this simple capture. Stockfish rates the resulting position +1.56 — a near-winning advantage for White. Across nearly a million Lichess games, White wins 52.8% of the time here. That said, Black still has plenty of tricks, and White scores only 49.4% against the most popular reply. Let's drill the right approach so you turn that edge into a full point.
Play the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Alekhine: d6 against the engine
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Create a free account →What You're Fighting For: The Central Pawn
This line is all about Black's d6 pawn. By playing 3.dxe5, you win a central pawn for nothing — Black's e5 pawn was loose, and their d6 move did nothing to protect it. White's plus-one pawn structure is already a serious advantage, and the engine agrees: +1.56 is close to a full extra piece. Your job isn't to complicate; it's to consolidate. Develop naturally, keep your king safe, and don't give Black counterplay by pushing pawns you don't need to. The most common Black replies all try to punish you for stepping out of theory, but if you know how to answer each one, White's extra pawn should carry you into a winning endgame.
The Engine's Recipe: Be6 First
Stockfish's top move here is Be6 (followed by Nc3, Nc6, Bg5). That's a surprising but precise developing move: the bishop eyes your queenside and prepares to recapture on e5 with the knight. Don't panic — after Be6 you simply play Nc3, developing with tempo. If Black plays Nc6, your Bg5 pins the knight and keeps the pressure on. The engine believes this natural development plan is best, so trust it. You don't need a sharp refutation; just outplay them positionally with your extra pawn and active pieces.
The Most-Played Replies and How to Handle Them
Black's most popular move is Nc6 (525,501 games), but White only scores 49.4% — meaning many White players mishandle it. The key is not to rush: after Nc6, the simplest approach is to defend the e5 pawn with a piece (say, Bf4 or Nc3) and continue developing. The second-most common is dxe5 (151,569 games), where White scores a crushing 64.5% — here Black has just recaptured into a worse version of the Centre Game. Bg4 (138,060 games) looks annoying because it pins your knight, but after a move like Nbd2 or Be2, Black's bishop isn't doing much and you're still a pawn up. Against d5 (24,923 games, White scores 60.3%), be cautious: the stats look good, but...
The One Mistake to Avoid: Don't Push d5
Here's the trap. The move d5 is Black's fourth most popular reply, and White scores a healthy 60.3% against it — so many White players think it's fine. But the engine says d5 is actually an inaccuracy from Black, losing about half a pawn compared to the better move Nc6. That means if you face d5, you're already doing well — but you also need to know how to punish it. The simplest approach: take the pawn on d5 (exd6) or develop with Nc3 and let Black's slightly misplaced pawn hang. Don't get greedy; just keep your extra pawn and your solid position.
Results across 920,989 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nc6 | 525,501 | 49.4% |
| dxe5 | 151,569 | 64.5% |
| Bg4 | 138,060 | 49.7% |
| d5 | 24,923 | 60.3% |
| f6 | 17,178 | 56.8% |
| Be6 | 13,821 | 51.1% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Englund Gambit sound for Black?
No. After 1.d4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.dxe5, Stockfish evaluates the position at +1.56, a near-winning advantage for White. Black is simply down a pawn with no real compensation. White scores 52.8% in practice, and with good technique that number should be much higher.
Should I play 3.Nxe5 instead of 3.dxe5?
No. The main line of the Englund Gambit goes 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5, not 2.Nf3 d6 3.Nxe5. After 2.Nf3 d6, 3.dxe5 is the accurate way to take the pawn — you win it cleanly. 3.Nxe5? would drop the knight to ...dxe5.
What is the best move after 3.dxe5 in this line?
Stockfish recommends Be6 as Black's best reply, developing the bishop and preparing to recapture on e5 with the knight. Your plan as White is simple: Nc3, then meet Nc6 with Bg5, keeping pressure and your extra pawn.
Why does White only score 49.4% against Black's most popular move Nc6?
Because many White players mishandle the position — they push pawns prematurely or forget to defend the e5 pawn. The score shows that Black's tricks work at club level, even though the engine says White is clearly winning. Knowing the simple developing plan (defend e5, develop pieces, don't rush) will push that number far higher for you.
How many games feature the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Alekhine: d6?
Over 920K Lichess games have reached the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Alekhine: d6 position. White wins 52.8%, Black wins 43.2%, with 4.0% draws — based on real rated games.