Tree path 5 levels King's Pawn Game › Center Game › Center Game Accepted › Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit › Crocodile Variation
- Chess Codex
- King's Pawn Game C20
- Center Game C20
- Center Game Accepted C21
- Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit C21
- Crocodile Variation C21 you are here
Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit, Crocodile Variation
Overview
Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit, Crocodile Variation is a sacrificial opening line filed under ECO C21 in the Open Games group. The defining idea is the early concession of material to seize the initiative and unbalance the position.
The Open Games group covers open games — classical 1.e4 e5 openings where both sides contest the centre directly with pawns.
It begins with 9 plies and takes 1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. f4 Bc5 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. c3 to reach the canonical position.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Center Game: Halasz-McDonnell Gambit, part of the broader King's Pawn Game system.
Use the board to walk through every move, check how the position has scored on Lichess, or take it head-to-head against Stockfish.
- ECO code
- C21
- Group
- Open Games (C)
- Plies
- 9
This overview is generated automatically from the opening's metadata. Know this line well? Write a description — submissions are reviewed before publishing.
Statistics from Lichess
4,360 games · White 44.9% / Draw 3.1% / Black 52.0%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| dxc3 | 3,180 | |
| d6 | 373 | |
| Nf6 | 208 | |
| d5 | 167 | |
| d3 | 133 | |
| Nge7 | 110 | |
| Qe7 | 82 | |
| Qf6 | 56 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 02:01:45
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Submissions are reviewed before publishing.