Van Geet Opening: Nowokunski Gambit

Van Geet Opening: Nowokunski Gambit is a chess opening with the ECO code A00, part of the Van Geet Opening family. It goes 1. Nc3 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. e4. White opens with 1. Nc3 (the Dunst/Van Geet knight move) and Black answers 1... e5. After 5 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. Nc3 – White plays the knight to c3
• 1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
• 2. f4 – White plays the pawn to f4
• 2... exf4 – Black captures on f4 with the e-pawn
• 3. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4

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.

Related openings

• It extends: Van Geet Opening: Reversed Nimzowitsch (1. Nc3 e5)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Novosibirsk Variation (1. Nc3 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qh4)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Pfeiffer Gambit (1. Nc3 d5 2. f4 d4 3. Ne4 e5)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Napoleon Attack (1. Nc3 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Pfeiffer Gambit, Sleipnir Countergambit (1. Nc3 d5 2. f4 d4 3. Ne4 e5 4. Nf3)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Myers Attack (1. Nc3 g6 2. h4)
• Related line: Van Geet Opening: Melleby Gambit (1. Nc3 d5 2. f4 d4 3. Ne4 c5)

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