ECO A40 · Englund Gambit Declined

Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Mokele Mbembe

1. d4 e5 2. Nf3 e4 3. Ne5

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

3… c6−0.62

Black is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Mokele Mbembe (A40), reached after 1. d4 e5 2. Nf3 e4 3. Ne5, Stockfish 18 recommends 3… c6 for Black. Black is slightly better (−0.62).

Top engine moves

  1. −0.623… c6 4. Bf4 d5 5. e3 Ne7 6. f3 f6 7. Ng4 Qb6 8. Nd2
  2. −0.593… d5 4. e3 Bf5 5. f4 Nh6 6. Be2 f6 7. Ng4 Nxg4 8. Bxg4
  3. −0.573… d6 4. Nc4 d5 5. Ne3 Nf6 6. c4 dxc4 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. d5

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Mokele Mbembe?
After 1. d4 e5 2. Nf3 e4 3. Ne5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 3… c6 for Black, continuing 4. Bf4 d5 5. e3 Ne7 6. f3 f6 7. Ng4 Qb6 8. Nd2. Black is slightly better (−0.62). The next best moves are 3… d5 (−0.59) and 3… d6 (−0.57).
Is the Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Mokele Mbembe a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −0.62: 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 Englund Gambit Declined: Reversed Mokele Mbembe?
A40. 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+).