Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...d5/2. exd5/2...Nf6/3. c4/3...e6

With 3...e6 Black offers White a pawn.

If White accepts, 4. dxe6, Black can recapture 4...Bxe6. In exchange for being down a pawn, Black has two minor pieces developed and, by removing the pawn that was guarding c6, will have an easier time developing their knight. Black's game is then to make use of their development lead and the open lines in the middle of the board to press their attack.

Declining the gambit is less common but playable. After 4. d4 exd5 White has given back the pawn they won on move two and the game is even.

An early appearance of the gambit was in the 1970 British Championship.^[1]

Its two names, the Icelandic-Palme gambit, has been attributed to "Icelandic masters" and Rudolf Palme (1910―2005).^[2] While a record of a game where Palme played it is not readily available, it was played by Icelandic GM Throstur Thorhallsson in several tournaments in the 1980s, including the 1986 Rekjavik Open.^[3]

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. c4 e6

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• Youtube: Zarnicki v. Fiorito, 2000 annotated by Agadmator