Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...d6/2. d4/2...Nf6/3. Nf3

The Roscher gambit is an unsound gambit in the Pirc. White allows Black to take on e4.

After 3...Nxe4 4. Bd3 Nf6 then e.g. 5. c4, White hopes for development in compensation for the loss of their central pawn, but this is thought to be insufficient.

Black can decline with 3...g6 and White has nothing better than to transpose into the Classical Pirc with 4. Nc3.

An early record of this line is from Charles Jaffé (1879―1941). It is named for Joerg Roscher, who played it in the '80s.^[1]