Van Geet Opening: Berlin Gambit is a chess opening with the ECO code B00, part of the Van Geet Opening family. It goes 1. e4 Nc6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. d5. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... Nc6. After 7 moves it is Black to move. After the last move Black is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.
The moves
1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
1... Nc6 – Black plays the knight to c6
2. d4 – White plays the pawn to d4
2... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
3. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
3... dxe4 – Black captures on e4 with the d-pawn
4. d5 – White plays the pawn to d5
About the Van Geet Opening
White starts with 1.Nc3, an offbeat but sound move. It develops a knight and can later turn into a Vienna, a Pirc-like or a d4 game.
The knight controls e4 and d5; White often follows with e4.
It blocks the c-pawn, so plans with c4 are harder.
Black can take the centre with ...d5 and ...e5; White plays for surprise.