The Trappiest Opening in Chess? | Win Quickly with the Stafford Gambit

In this video (originally live-streamed on Twitch), I was asked the following question by a viewer:
"What is the main trap in the Stafford Gambit?"
I then decided to show all of the traps in the Stafford Gambit that I could think of in the moment. Although white is objectively better with precise play in the Stafford, there are SO MANY ways to go wrong and stumble into danger. Many of the trap variations feature beautiful sacrifices and mind blowing combinations. Although I go through some of them quickly in this video, I hope this offers some inspiration to win quickly and be alert for tactic in the opening!

Now accepting fan mail! My mailbox address:
Eric Rosen
4579 Laclede Ave #205
St. Louis, MO 63108

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[deplios]

Discovered this gambit from the RosenGod himself. Now have 100% winrate against Cagnus Marlsen and Nikaru Hakamura.

[scheimong]

10:19 I love how in this crazy position, SF just takes a look and goes "yep equal, nothing interesting here it's equal"

[lerdi]

0:28 d3, Bg5 - develop bishop + pin
1:45 e5 - push pawn
2:43 d3, Nc3 - develop knight
3:30 Kc3, Bc4 - knight and bishop
5:30 Kc3, Be2 - king's bishop
9:34 d3, h3 - pawns

[GoldTheAngel]

Better learn the counters to this gambit seeing how everyone's gonna be playing it for the next couple of weeks.

[GaryTheGray]

I love how you explain the how with the why. I don't get to your Twitch streams as often and for as long as I wish I could, but you've already provided a lot of helpful tips. The Stafford Gambit will definitely be going into my repertoire against my friends. I suddenly feel evil...and I like it.

[Spoon]

I'm proud to say I lost 4 games in a row using this

[lollollol]

"The trappiest opening in Chess". Not to be confused with the _trippiest_ opening in Chess, which is the Bongcloud.

[rbprem]

Eric literally teaches us nearly 50 traps

Also Eric: We've just scratched the surface

[maxstepan]

Hey Eric, please do more videos in which you’re explaining some openings or traps in openings. It‘s very entertaining! Keep going your great work on this channel✌️

[orfunk-iller]

your voice is so DAMN relaxing. i love to fall asleep as you slowly embed chess talk into my brain

[shreyashastry]

"Oh no my queen" has a separate fanbase to itself

[nikolavladic]

I just won my first Stafford gambit game (on my first attempt), that "oh no my queen" was so satisfying, thank you Eric :)

[KevinWood]

killing me. Stop showing people my lines lol Truthfully I learned most of these traps from you this is going too far 🤫😁

[hakanozsi]

Now you should make a detailed video about Botez Gambit too.

[armann]

this mans voice is one of the best . like really when i hear him speak i got relaxed like there's no worries. Amazing content ♥

[hemag]

This was exclusively the opening I played! Curse you, Rosen, for exposing the tricks and making me inevitably lose rating since people won’t fall for them anymore!!

(Not really, since you were the reason this became my favorite opening in the first place)

[salted]

One of the most educational chess video ive ever seen. Your enthusiasm in teaching the variations really helps!

[woodys]

I am 1850 on lichess and the Stafford is my main response to 1. e4. However, many people are afraid of playing 3. nxe5 and we often transpose into a four knights. I very often win with the stafford, usually in under 20 moves. Yes, its objectivly bad, but if you win over the board, then there is nothing to say.

[PabloOzuna]

When I try to play this gambit, the knight never takes on e5.

[Gelfling]

I'm just getting into chess, and this is exactly the type of content I'm looking for to understand my faults and best moves. Thanks!