Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit

+100%
A001.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4 d4
Oct 30, 2028
TL;DR

Black tries 3...d4 to slam the centre after capturing on g4. White scores 57% in this rare line — the position is bizarre enough that prepared Grob players have the practical edge despite the dubious objective assessment.

Reviewed by

IM John Bartholomew
IM John BartholomewCo-Founder & Chess Educator

International Master and chess educator. Co-founded Chessable and joined Chessiverse as co-founder. Best known for his "Climbing the Rating Ladder" YouTube series and structured opening courses.

Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit: A Complete Guide
Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit - Opening Moves
Summary

1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4 d4 opens the Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit, ECO A00. With 23,073 games on record, the patterns below come from the largest practical sample available.

History and Notable Players

It arises from the Grob's Attack: Fritz Gambit.

Move Diversity and Theory Depth

Move choice is far from uniform in the Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit. At 1200 Elo, the top reply is Bxb7, played 86.5% of the time. There are 2 other moves seeing meaningful share, and 97.3% of games stick to established theory. Entropy: 0.82. By 2500, Bxb7 dominates at 92% of replies; only 2 viable alternatives remain and 100% of moves are theory. Entropy drops to 0.48.

Common Mistakes

  • Neglecting development — Extra pawn moves in the opening are tempting, especially when you "know the moves". Developing a piece each turn is the simple correction.
  • Overextending the attack — Gambits look like permission to throw everything forward. They aren't — every attacking move should improve a piece. Random checks and threats burn the initiative once they fail to coordinate.

Practice on Chessiverse

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Quick Facts

Main Line1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4 d4
DifficultyIntermediate
Style

Unorthodox openings deviate from classical principles to surprise opponents and lead the game into unfamiliar territory. They can be highly effective when the opponent is unprepared.

23,073games on Lichess
57%
2.6%
40.4%
White wins Draws Black wins

Data from Lichess opening explorer (blitz & rapid)

Most Popular At2500
SharpnessVery Sharp

Popularity by Rating

Percentage of all games at each rating bracket that feature this opening.

Data from Lichess opening explorer (blitz & rapid games)

Theory Adherence by Rating

How often players choose the single most popular move at this position. Higher = more predictable play.

White to move after the opening line

Popularity Over Time

Share of all Lichess blitz + rapid games featuring this opening, by year.

Top Moves by Rating

White to move after the opening line

RatingMost Popular2nd3rd
400Bxb783.1%Qb38.4%Qa4+3.1%
1000Bxb787.9%Qb36.3%Qa4+2.3%
1200Bxb786.5%Qb38.2%Qa4+2.6%
1400Bxb783.8%Qb311.6%Qa4+1.8%
1600Bxb779%Qb316.7%d31.9%
1800Bxb780.6%Qb316.9%d31.7%
2000Bxb786.9%Qb310.5%d31.8%
2200Bxb793.3%Qb35.5%d31%
2500Bxb792%d35%Qb33%

Popularity by Time Control

Bullet
<0.01%14K
Blitz
<0.01%19K
Rapid
<0.01%4K
Raw data tables (Lichess blitz + rapid)
Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit: popularity and win rates by player rating
Rating (Elo)Share %GamesWhite win %Black win %Draw %Sharpness
4000.0065558.040.31.70.983
10000.001,66960.536.82.70.973
12000.003,32861.935.52.60.974
14000.005,33361.136.82.00.980
16000.005,46559.038.42.50.975
18000.003,64852.744.52.80.972
20000.002,05943.853.13.10.969
22000.0081642.952.84.30.957
25000.0010046.045.09.00.910
Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit: move-choice theory adherence by rating
Rating (Elo)Top moveTop move %Viable movesTheory %Entropy
400Bxb783.1294.51.032
1000Bxb787.9296.60.788
1200Bxb786.5297.30.824
1400Bxb783.8297.20.874
1600Bxb779.0297.60.979
1800Bxb780.6299.10.870
2000Bxb786.9299.20.696
2200Bxb793.3299.80.414
2500Bxb792.02100.00.479
Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit: popularity over time
YearShare %GamesWhite win %Black win %Draw %
20130.001100.00.00.0
20140.002171.428.60.0
20150.0011256.340.23.6
20160.0034550.447.52.0
20170.0060752.445.02.6
20180.0082654.443.32.3
20190.001,28356.641.12.3
20200.002,37256.341.02.7
20210.002,83756.241.22.6
20220.003,68057.639.72.7
20230.004,42658.539.02.6
20240.004,30758.538.92.6
20250.003,88456.540.72.7
Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit: popularity by time control
FormatShare %GamesWhite win %Black win %Draw %Sharpness
bullet0.0013,86457.440.62.00.980
blitz0.0018,88356.940.52.50.975
rapid0.004,19057.539.62.90.971
Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit: top candidate moves by rating bracket
Rating (Elo)1st move1st %2nd move2nd %3rd move3rd %
400Bxb783.1Qb38.4Qa4+3.1
1000Bxb787.9Qb36.3Qa4+2.3
1200Bxb786.5Qb38.2Qa4+2.6
1400Bxb783.8Qb311.6Qa4+1.8
1600Bxb779.0Qb316.7d31.9
1800Bxb780.6Qb316.9d31.7
2000Bxb786.9Qb310.5d31.8
2200Bxb793.3Qb35.5d31.0
2500Bxb792.0d35.0Qb33.0

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit?

The Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit begins with 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4 d4 and is classified under ECO code A00.

Is the Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit good for beginners?

The Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit can be played at any level. Beginners should focus on understanding the key strategic ideas rather than memorizing long theoretical lines. Our AI bots at various rating levels provide a great way to practice the opening concepts.

What are the win rates for the Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit?

In a database of 23,073 master games, White wins 57% of the time, Black wins 40.4%, and 2.6% are drawn.

How can I practice the Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit?

On Chessiverse, you can practice the Grob's Attack: Romford Counter-Gambit by playing against our 600+ AI bots. Each bot has a unique playing style and opening repertoire, so you can find the perfect sparring partner for any level.

Reviewed by

IM John Bartholomew
IM John BartholomewCo-Founder & Chess Educator

International Master and chess educator. Co-founded Chessable and joined Chessiverse as co-founder. Best known for his "Climbing the Rating Ladder" YouTube series and structured opening courses.

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