1.b4 c5
Birmingham Gambit is with black responding to white’s flank attack with sacrificing a pawn initially but later on in the game black may try to play for activity or white may give back the pawn for some advantage or neutralize the advantage. If white tries to hold onto the pawn for a longer duration of time then black may in turn have activity which might prove fatal in the long term.
Below is a sample game
1.b4 c5 2.bxc5 e5 3.e3 Bxc5
A standard position that occurs normally in the Birmigham gambit.
4.c4 Nc6 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Nge2 0-0 7.Nd5 d6 8.Nec3 Be6 9.Be2 Bxd5 10.cxd5 Ne7 11.Qb3 Qa5 12.Rb1 Rab8 13.a4
Further clamping the black’s queen side with a4 preventing further pawn storm immediately.
a6 14.0-0 Rfc8 15.Bc4 Nd7 16.d3 f5 17.Bd2 Qd8 18.Qd1 Bb6 19.Ne2 Kh8 20.Ba2 Nf6 21.Ng3 g6 22.Bb3 Ba5 23.e4 f4 24.Ne2 Bb6 25.Kh1 g5 26.f3 Ng6 27.d4 exd4 28.Bc1 d3 29.Qxd3 Ne5 30.Qd1 Nfd7 31.g3 fxg3 32.Nxg3 Qf6 33.Nf5 Rf8 34.Ba2 Qg6 35.Rb2 h6 36.Rg2 Qh5 37.f4 Qxd1 38.Rxd1 Nf7 39.Bb2+ Kh7 40.Bb1 Rbe8 41.h4 Rg8 42.hxg5 hxg5 43.Rh2+ Kg6 44.Rdd2 Nf6 45.Ne7+
Creating a sacrifice temporarily to gain an additional piece in the next few moves.
Kg7 46.Nxg8 Rxg8 47.Rdg2 Be3 48.e5 dxe5 49.fxe5
And the strong pawns overpower black.
The Birmingham gambit might create an opportunity for the white player to create a rather interesting play in the centre. Sometimes also creating a minority attack on the black’s queen side majority while white enjoys the center pawn majority. If you like to play this opening with a weak rook pawn which might sometime lead to a minority attack, then this opening might be suitable for you to play.
