MNb wrote on 06/29/07 at 23:14:15:

I regret it to this day, MNb , I loved Schwartz' books but at the time I was married with small kids and building up a professional career.  As a result, I had to give up chess and after a while, sold all of them books as part of a housecleaning exercise...

Thanks for your input, which as usual is very useful.  It looks like this gambit is quite playable, whether Black accepts it or not.  I'll definitely get Schwartz' book on the CK, it may be the start of a new collection of his books

In the Caro Kann, after

1 e4 c6; 2 d4 d5; 3 Nc3 dxe4; 4 Nxe4 Nf6; 5 Bd3 Qxd4; 6 Nf3 Qd8; 7 Qe2,

White has at least a comfortable lead in development for the pawn.
It can also be played after 4 ...Bf5, and in the French Rubinstein after the rather rare 4 ...Nf6.

After 4 ...Nf6, it's called the Alekhine Gambit (ELO B15).  Eric Schiller in his Gambit Chess Openings gives only the first 5 moves.  His comments are rather positive for White, e.g.  "This is a fine gambit to use (against the CK)".  But then he concludes "Black looks a bit better" and "Few dare to play it".  No comment

Nowhere else have I found any mention of it, although a quick scan in my database shows it's being played regularly, if not at the highest levels. Long time ago I used to have the opening books by Rolf Schwartz, and the ones on the CK and the French covered this gambit to some extent.  If I remember correctly, Schwartz felt the gambit was quite playable, at least in the CK version.

Can anybody tell me more about this gambit? If it's playable, I might get Schwartz' book again which apparently is still available at schachversand.de

Thanks.