Answers.Body: <p>The name <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambit" rel="noreferrer">'gambit'</a> was coined in the <em>16th century</em> already by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_L%C3%B3pez_de_Segura" rel="noreferrer">Ruy López</a>. He derived it from the old Italian expression</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>dare il gambetto</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>(literally: 'to give the leg'). It means 'to trip (someone) over' - gambits were often used in attempt to win a game quickly.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-01-13T09:01:00.367Z
Answers.Text: Great answer. The word meaning is quite unexpected.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Cyriac Antony
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-10-11T20:16:44.910Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-10-12T06:04:08.377Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2015-10-12T06:04:08.377Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Glorfindel
Body: <p>According to Merriam Webster's Dictionary, a gambit is</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>a chess opening in which a player risks one or more pawns or a minor piece to gain an advantage in position.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>But I was wondering, why do we use the word 'gambit'? Where does it come from? How we came to use it?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-10-12T13:31:06.327Z
Comments.Text: It's a play on words. When your position is hopelessly lost you violently overturn the board, throwing pieces all around the room, and yell "Dodd Gambit!".
Comments.UserDisplayName: Pete Becker
Tags: <opening><history><terminology>
Title: Where does the word 'gambit' come from?
ThreadText: # Where does the word 'gambit' come from?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-10-11)
  
  According to Merriam Webster's Dictionary, a gambit is
  
  > a chess opening in which a player risks one or more pawns or a minor piece to gain an advantage in position.
  
  But I was wondering, why do we use the word 'gambit'? Where does it come from? How we came to use it?
  
  **Tags:** opening, history, terminology
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: It's a play on words. When your position is hopelessly lost you violently overturn the board, throwing pieces all around the room, and yell "Dodd Gambit!".  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2015-10-11. Score: 8 | Accepted answer
  
  The name ['gambit'](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambit) was coined in the *16th century* already by [Ruy López](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_L%C3%B3pez_de_Segura). He derived it from the old Italian expression
  
  > dare il gambetto
  
  (literally: 'to give the leg'). It means 'to trip (someone) over' - gambits were often used in attempt to win a game quickly.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_3**: Great answer. The word meaning is quite unexpected.  
  
  ---
  
  