ECO A03 · Bird Opening

Bird Opening: Sturm Gambit

1. f4 d5 2. c4

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Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

2… d4−0.71

Black is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Bird Opening: Sturm Gambit (A03), reached after 1. f4 d5 2. c4, Stockfish 18 recommends 2… d4 for Black. Black is slightly better (−0.71).

Top engine moves

  1. −0.712… d4 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d3 Nf6 5. g3 e5 6. Nxe5 Nxe5 7. fxe5
  2. −0.522… e5 3. fxe5 d4 4. Nf3 Ne7 5. d3 Ng6 6. g3 h5 7. Bg2
  3. −0.422… e6 3. Nf3 c5 4. e3 Nc6 5. Be2 d4 6. exd4 cxd4 7. d3

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Bird Opening: Sturm Gambit?
After 1. f4 d5 2. c4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 2… d4 for Black, continuing 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d3 Nf6 5. g3 e5 6. Nxe5 Nxe5 7. fxe5. Black is slightly better (−0.71). The next best moves are 2… e5 (−0.52) and 2… e6 (−0.42).
Is the Bird Opening: Sturm Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −0.71: black is slightly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Bird Opening: Sturm Gambit?
A03. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; A is the volume for flank openings.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).