Tree path 5 levels Queen's Pawn Game › Queen's Pawn Game › Old Indian Defense › Rat Defense: English Rat › Pounds Gambit
- Caissa Codex
- Queen's Pawn Game A40
- Queen's Pawn Game A41
- Old Indian Defense A41
- Rat Defense: English Rat A41
- Pounds Gambit A41 you are here
Rat Defense: English Rat, Pounds Gambit
Overview
Rat Defense: English Rat, Pounds Gambit is a sacrificial opening line filed under ECO A41 in the Flank Openings group. The defining idea is the early concession of material to seize the initiative and unbalance the position.
The Flank Openings group covers flank openings — systems that delay the central pawn break and instead develop pieces and pawns on the wings.
Play reaches this position via 1. d4 d6 2. c4 e5 3. dxe5 Be6, after 6 plies of opening development.
In the opening tree, this line branches off from Rat Defense: English Rat, part of the broader Queen'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
- A41
- Group
- Flank Openings (A)
- Plies
- 6
- Parent
- Rat Defense: English Rat
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
5,346 games · White 49.0% / Draw 3.3% / Black 47.6%
| Moves | Games | W / D / B |
|---|---|---|
| exd6 | 3,190 | |
| e4 | 794 | |
| e3 | 743 | |
| b3 | 217 | |
| Nf3 | 202 | |
| Nc3 | 99 | |
| c5 | 39 | |
| Qb3 | 20 |
Source: Lichess Opening Explorer · cached 2026-09-26 01:16:05
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Submissions are reviewed before publishing.