ECO A02 · Bird Opening

Bird Opening: Swiss Gambit

1. f4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g4

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

4… h6−0.59

Black is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Bird Opening: Swiss Gambit (A02), reached after 1. f4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g4, Stockfish 18 recommends 4… h6 for Black. Black is slightly better (−0.59).

Top engine moves

  1. −0.594… h6 5. g5 hxg5 6. fxg5 Nh5 7. d3 Ng3 8. hxg3 Rxh1 9. Nh3
  2. −0.204… g6 5. g5 Nh5 6. d3 d5 7. dxe4 d4 8. Nce2 e5 9. Nf3
  3. −0.174… d5 5. g5 Nfd7 6. d3 Nc6 7. dxe4 d4 8. Nce2 Nc5 9. Nf3

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Bird Opening: Swiss Gambit?
After 1. f4 f5 2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. g4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4… h6 for Black, continuing 5. g5 hxg5 6. fxg5 Nh5 7. d3 Ng3 8. hxg3 Rxh1 9. Nh3. Black is slightly better (−0.59). The next best moves are 4… g6 (−0.20) and 4… d5 (−0.17).
Is the Bird Opening: Swiss Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −0.59: 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: Swiss Gambit?
A02. 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+).