Chessy
French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit for White
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c4, you are offering a gambit and asking Black a direct question: will they grab the pawn or meet the position more carefully? This is a sharp opening for players who want active piece play and an early test of understanding. The drill below puts you in the key position with Black to move, so you can practise punishing the most natural replies and learn what the engine expects next.
Play the French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit against the engine
Free, no signup — you play white, the engine adapts to your level.
Play the drill to test White’s ideas in the Diemer-Duhm Gambit. Create a free account and repeat the key position anytime.
Create a free account →Black’s most reliable answer
Stockfish rates this -0.80, a clear advantage for Black. That means you are worse here, so the opening is not an automatic attack for White; you need accurate play and good piece activity to justify the pawn offer.
The engine’s best move is dxe4, and the listed continuation is dxe4 Nc3 f5 f3. That tells you the core strategic problem: Black can accept and then hold together the extra pawn if you do not keep the initiative moving. In your drill, focus on quick development, pressure, and making Black solve problems instead of letting the position settle.
What the database says
Across 327,966 games at this exact position, White wins 47.4%, draws 3.6%, and Black wins 49.0%. Those numbers fit the engine’s verdict: this is a fighting position, but Black scores slightly better overall.
The main practical lesson is that this gambit is playable, but you should expect resistance. If you want success with White, you need to know which replies are most common and which ones give Black the easiest time.
The replies you will see most often
The most-played continuation is dxe4, with 167,625 games and White scoring 44.4%. That is the main line you must be ready for, because it is the most common practical test of the gambit.
Other replies also appear a lot: c5 has 46,096 games and White scores 49.2%; c6 has 36,958 games and White scores 51.2%; Nf6 has 27,729 games and White scores 50.1%; dxc4 has 20,788 games and White scores 53.5%; Bb4+ has 14,269 games and White scores 48.8%. In the drill, treat each reply as a different decision point and learn which ones let Black simplify and which ones keep the fight more balanced.
Moves the engine dislikes
Three continuations are specifically marked as mistakes: c5, c6, and Nf6. Each one loses about a pawn compared with the engine’s preferred move dxe4.
That matters because it gives you a practical goal as White: do not just play for activity in general, but look for the replies that the engine already distrusts. When Black chooses one of these weaker moves, your chances improve, but you still need to handle the position cleanly and avoid drifting into a passive game.
Results across 327,966 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| dxe4 | 167,625 | 44.4% |
| c5 | 46,096 | 49.2% |
| c6 | 36,958 | 51.2% |
| Nf6 | 27,729 | 50.1% |
| dxc4 | 20,788 | 53.5% |
| Bb4+ | 14,269 | 48.8% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit sound for White?
It is playable, but the main position here is not an advantage for White. Stockfish gives -0.80, which means Black stands better overall, so this gambit is more about practical chances than objective safety.
What is Black’s best response to 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c4?
The engine’s best move is dxe4. The listed continuation is dxe4 Nc3 f5 f3, so White should be ready for Black to accept and then defend the extra pawn.
Which replies are most common after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c4?
The most-played continuation is dxe4, and the other common replies are c5, c6, Nf6, dxc4, and Bb4+. The database numbers show that this position leads to a wide range of practical choices, but dxe4 is by far the main one.
Which moves should I be careful not to play as Black here?
c5, c6, and Nf6 are all marked as mistakes in this position. The engine says they each lose about a pawn compared with dxe4, so White can be more ambitious when those moves appear.
How many games feature the French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit?
Over 327K Lichess games have reached the French Defense: Diemer-Duhm Gambit position. White wins 47.4%, Black wins 49.0%, with 3.6% draws — based on real rated games.