As Black

Stafford Gambit

The Stafford Gambit is a chess opening for Black that starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6.

A line full of traps, popularised by Eric Rosen. It comes from the Petroff.

Reviewed on November 6, 2026 · Prepared by Josep Serrano Ballestero

Basic · Elo Under 400

Train this level

  1. Deadly mate · 7.O-O

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bc4 Ng4 7.O-O Qh4 8.g3 Qxh2#

  2. Deadly mate · 6.Bg5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bc5 6.Bg5 Nxe4 7.Bxd8 Bxf2+ 8.Ke2 Bg4#

  3. Deadly mate · 8.Bxc8

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bc5 6.Be2 Ng4 7.Bxg4 Qh4 8.Bxc8 Qxf2#

  4. Opponent's mistake · 6.d3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.e5 Ne4 6.d3 Bc5 7.dxe4 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qxd1

  5. Opponent's mistake · 6.e5

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.e5 Ng4 7.Ne4 Nxf2 8.Nxf2 Bxf2+ 9.Kxf2 Qd4+ 10.Ke1 Qh4+ 11.g3 Qe4+ 12.Qe2 Qxh1

  6. Opponent's mistake · 7.f3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.d3 Ng4 7.f3 Nf2 8.Qe2 Nxh1

  7. 6...h5 7.Bc4

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.h3 h5 7.Bc4 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qd4+ 9.Ke1 Qxc4

  8. 5...Ne4 6.d4

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.e5 Ne4 6.d4 Qh4 7.g3 Nxg3 8.fxg3 Qe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxh1

  9. 4...dxc6 5.d3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bc5 6.h3 h5 7.Bg5 Bxf2+

  10. 5...Ne4 6.Qe2

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.e5 Ne4 6.Qe2 Bf5 7.d3 Nc5

  11. 6...h5 7.d3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.h3 h5 7.d3 h4

Intermediate · Elo 400 – 600

Train this level

  1. Opponent's mistake · 7.O-O

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bc4 Ng4 7.O-O Qh4

  2. Opponent's mistake · 6.d3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.e5 Ne4 6.d3 Bc5 7.dxe4 Bxf2+ 8.Ke2 Bg4+ 9.Kxf2 Qxd1

  3. Opponent's mistake · 7.g3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.e5 Ne4 6.d4 Qh4 7.g3 Nxg3 8.fxg3 Qe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxh1

  4. 6...h5 7.Bc4

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.h3 h5 7.Bc4 Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qd4+

  5. 6...h5 7.Be2

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bc5 6.h3 h5 7.Be2 Qe7 8.Bg5 Qd6

  6. 6...Qh4 7.Be3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.e5 Ne4 6.d4 Qh4 7.Be3 f6 8.Bd3 Bg4

  7. 5...Bc5 6.Be2

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bc5 6.Be2 h5 7.c3 Bb6 8.Bg5 Qd6

  8. 5...Ne4 6.Qe2

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.e5 Ne4 6.Qe2 Bf5 7.d3 Nc5 8.Nc3 Ne6

  9. 6...Qh4 7.Qf3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.e5 Ne4 6.d4 Qh4 7.Qf3 Be7 8.Bd3 f5

  10. 6...h5 7.Nc3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.d3 Bc5 6.h3 h5 7.Nc3 h4 8.Bg5 Qd6

  11. 6...h5 7.d3

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6 4.Nxc6 dxc6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.h3 h5 7.d3 h4 8.Bg5 Qd6 9.Qf3 Bd4

Frequently asked questions

Is the Stafford Gambit good for beginners?

Yes. On OpeningCraft you learn it in these levels: Basic (Elo under 400), Intermediate (Elo 400 – 600). It suits players who like attacks, gambits and open positions.

What traps are there in the Stafford Gambit?

OpeningCraft teaches 8 traps and opponent mistakes in this opening, for example: Deadly mate (7.O-O); Deadly mate (6.Bg5); Deadly mate (8.Bxc8).

How many lines of the Stafford Gambit do you need to learn?

OpeningCraft teaches 21, in blocks of 5. They come from real Lichess games at each rating band, and the traps and opponent mistakes most common at your level come first.

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