Playing Against the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Alekhine with 3.Nfd2

Black's early e4 push grabs space but leaves the pawn exposed. Your job as White is not to panic — the pawn on e4 looks scary, but it can become a target. By retreating the knight to d2, you keep your options open: you can later challenge the centre with c4 or even bring the knight around to attack e4 again. The engine's top choice here is 3…d5, meeting the centre with the centre. If Black plays d5, the typical continuation is 4.c4 c6 5.Nc3, and you have a solid grip on the dark squares while Black's pawn on e4 is slightly isolated from their pawn chain. Keep in mind that Stockfish evaluates this position at -0.36, a small plus for Black, meaning you are slightly worse from the start — but the margin is tiny, and practical play matters far more than the computer's first impression.

Across over 358,000 games, Black's most popular move is 3…d5 — and it's also the engine's first choice. After d5, the plan is straightforward: White plays 4.c4, hitting the d5 pawn and opening lines for the light-squared bishop. Black typically replies 4…c6, shoring up d5, and you continue with 5.Nc3, developing naturally. From here the game takes on a Queen's Gambit-like character, but with Black's e4 pawn sticking out a bit. Black's score after d5 is 54% — not crushing, but a sign that this is solid. Your task is to play actively: don't let Black consolidate the e4-d5 pawn duo without pressure. The drill will let you practice this exact line so you feel comfortable in the resulting middlegame.

The numbers from 467,873 games reveal a few surprises. White scores just 46.5% overall here, and Black wins 50.2%, so you are entering a line where you'll need to outplay your opponent. But look closer: when Black plays the natural-looking 3…Nc6 (developing and attacking d4), White's score jumps to 53.5%. Even better, after 3…Qe7, White scores 55.2%. The engine confirms that both Nc6 and Qe7 are mistakes — Nc6 loses about 1.3 pawns, and Qe7 loses about 0.7 pawns compared to the best move. The lesson: if your opponent doesn't know the theory and plays something other than d5, you have excellent chances. The move e3 is also flagged as a mistake for Black, losing roughly 1.3 pawns. So while the overall stats show Black doing well, that's heavily driven by the d5 line. Against anything else, you're the favourite.

It's also worth noting what NOT to do from the other side of the board — even though this guide is about your play as White, knowing Black's options helps you anticipate them. The biggest mistake Black can make in this position is playing e3 (yes, the same push that looks logical to kick your knight). After 3…e3, Black loses about 1.3 pawns. Black's second-worst option is Nc6, also costing about 1.3 pawns. For you as White, when you see Black play something other than d5, stay alert: develop naturally, keep the centre under control, and don't rush to win back the e4 pawn immediately. The engine's evaluation improves in your favour the moment Black strays from theory. The drill will let you face the most common replies so you build the right reflexes.