Sicilian Defense, Wing Gambit

The Wing Gambit begins 1.e4 c5 2.b4. White offers the b-pawn to draw Black's c5-pawn onto b4. If Black accepts with ...cxb4, that pawn no longer controls d4, so White can occupy the center with d4.

A gambit is a voluntary material offer, usually a pawn, in exchange for another advantage. Here White seeks rapid development, meaning useful moves that bring pieces from their starting squares, together with central space and open lines for bishops and rooks. The compensation is not automatic: if White fails to create activity, White is simply a pawn down.

Black can accept, decline, or return the pawn at a favorable moment. After accepting, Black's main task is to bring pieces into play and protect the king without letting White's center advance while attacking a piece and forcing it to move. After declining, Black must avoid a passive position in which b5 gives White extra space at no cost.

The strategic idea differs from playing b4 later in another Sicilian. In the O'Kelly Variation, for example, Black has already played ...a6 and a b4 branch exists, but the move order and available squares are different. Wing Gambit specifically refers to the immediate offer with 2.b4.