Where does the word 'gambit' come from? 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?
The name 'gambit' was coined in the 16th century already by Ruy López. 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.