Tennison Gambit tactics
A surprise weapon out of a quiet first move, built around one knight and a queen that is busy collecting pawns.
- 120 positions in the course
- Difficulty 1027–2450
- Section: Sidelines and Surprises
- 5 levels
What the Tennison produces tactically
White opens with the knight and then offers the e-pawn, so that after the capture a knight can jump to g5 and start chasing whatever came to get it. The point is time, not material: Black's extra pawn is on a square that has to be defended, and defending it costs moves that were meant for development.
The trap that made the line famous gives up a knight on f7 and follows with a bishop check that costs Black the queen. Like most named traps it is worth knowing and it is not where these games are decided. The positions in this skill are the middlegames that follow, where White is usually the more active side and has to prove it before the pawn count starts to matter.
How to spot it
- Follow the knight. In this opening one piece does most of the work and its next square is usually the answer.
- Look two checks further than feels necessary when a queen is being chased. The tactic here is often the second check, not the first.
- As Black, ask what the extra pawn costs to keep. If the answer is more than one move, give it back.
- The f7 square is the standard entry point once the king is still on e8. Count its defenders before every move.
Three Tennison Gambit positions
Three positions from the 120 in this skill, easiest first. The highlighted squares are the move your opponent has just played. Work it out before you open the answer.
Position 1
White to move. Find the best move.
Show the answer
17...Be6 18.Qh8#
The line ends in checkmate. The Tennison spends a pawn to chase with a knight, and these middlegames are where the activity it bought either pays or does not.
The position comes from the middlegame of a real game, rated 1218 for difficulty. The answer reaches checkmate.
Position 2
White to move. Find the best move.
Show the answer
18...Kb7 19.Ne4 Qf5 20.Nxd6+
The line wins a rook. The Tennison spends a pawn to chase with a knight, and these middlegames are where the activity it bought either pays or does not.
The position comes from an endgame of a real game, rated 1606 for difficulty. The answer reaches a clear advantage.
Position 3
White to move. Find the best move.
Show the answer
18...Bxb2 19.Rxb2 h5 20.Qg3
The line wins a piece. The Tennison spends a pawn to chase with a knight, and these middlegames are where the activity it bought either pays or does not.
The position comes from the middlegame of a real game, rated 1988 for difficulty. The answer reaches a clear advantage.
A surprise weapon and its limits
The Tennison works on the same principle as every other trap opening: the defender has to find several specific moves and the attacker has to find one plan. Against an opponent who has seen it, White has given a pawn for activity that is not quite worth a pawn, which is a playable but slightly worse game.
The defence is the familiar one and it works against most of this family. Return the pawn, finish developing, and let the attacker run out of pieces to throw. The specific version here is to be very careful about which square the queen goes to while the knight is out.
Questions people ask
What is the Tennison Gambit?
An offbeat gambit reached after 1.Nf3 d5 2.e4, offering the e-pawn so that a knight can come out with tempo. It also arises by transposition from other move orders, which is part of its surprise value.
Is the Tennison Gambit good?
It is a surprise weapon rather than a sound opening. Theory holds that accurate play by Black is comfortable, and its practical results depend almost entirely on the opponent not knowing what is coming.
Nearby patterns
Tennison Gambit sits in Sidelines and Surprises. The rest of that section: