King's Gambit Accepted
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5 · C34–C39
Part of King's Gambit
Starting positionWhite to move
0 / 12
...d5 is the central counter
- 1.
- 2.
- 3.
- 4.
- 5.
- 6.
The idea
Black takes the pawn, and the game becomes a race between White's development and attack and Black's extra material and counterplay.
Main line: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 Nf6 5.Bc4 Nxd5 6.O-O Be7
What White wants
- Develop with Nf3, Bc4 and O-O as fast as possible
- Play d4 to grab the centre back and open lines
- Attack the f-file and the h7 pawn
What Black wants
- Counterattack in the centre with ...d5 — the standard equaliser
- Hold the extra pawn with ...g5 and ...h6 if you must
- Trade pieces and win the endgame with the extra pawn
Key idea
Understand this and the moves stop needing to be memorised.
...d5 is the central counter
After taking the pawn, Black strikes at the centre with ...d5 rather than defending f4 at once. The move opens lines for the bishop and knight while White's king is still uncastled, turning the gambit into an active fight rather than a passive defence.
Common mistake
Defending the extra pawn with one slow pawn move after another. Holding f4 with ...g5 is a real system, but spending move after move on ...g5, ...h6 and ...Qe7 while White builds with Bc4, O-O and d4 lets the attack break through before Black has developed a piece.
Representative position
The position this opening is aiming at. Copy the FEN, or open it in the analysis board and let the engine tell you what it is worth.
rnbqk2r/ppp1bppp/8/3n4/2B2p2/5N2/PPPP2PP/RNBQ1RK1 w kq - 2 7
Analyze this positionVariations
1 line branching from here.