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Learn the King's Gambit with our free interactive trainer. Master the Kieseritzky and Muzio Gambits, the Fischer and Modern Defenses, and the Falkbeer Countergambit for White. 9 chapters.
1. e4 e5 2. f4
The King's Gambit begins 1.e4 e5 2.f4. It is a very aggressive gambit that suits players who like chaos on the board. White offers the f-pawn at once, and the chapters that follow cover what happens when Black accepts it, declines it, or answers with a gambit of his own.
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. d4 d6 ...
Black usually accepts the gambit with 2...exf4, and White answers 3.Nf3 no matter what, so that ...Qh4+ is never possible. The most common defence is 3...g5, holding on to the f4 pawn. White strikes at the pawn chain with 4.h4, plants the knight on e5, builds the centre with d4, and wins the pawn back with 9.Bxf4.
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d6 4. d4 g5 5. Nc3 g4 6. Bxf4 gxf3 ...
The Fischer Defense, 3...d6, is named after Bobby Fischer, who preferred it against the King's Gambit. White takes the centre with 4.d4 and meets 4...g5 with the surprising 5.Nc3. After 5...g4 White sacrifices the knight with 6.Bxf4 and gets the centre, a lead in development and pressure on f7 in return.
3... d5 4. exd5 Qxd5 5. Nc3 Qe6+ 6. Be2 Bd6 7. O-O Ne7 8. d4
After 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3, the Modern Defense is 3...d5. Black hits back in the centre straight away. White captures on d5, develops with tempo against the queen with 5.Nc3, castles out of the pin on the e-file, and then takes the centre with 8.d4.
4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 Qf6 7. d3 Bh6 8. Nc3 c6 9. Bxf4 Bxf4 ...
Against 3...g5 White has a second option that is far riskier than 4.h4: 4.Bc4, and after 4...g4 White castles and lets the knight go. This is the Muzio Gambit, probably the most aggressive way to play the King's Gambit. White gets development, the centre and a fast attack on f7 for the piece. It is not recommended for players who are new to the opening.
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 Nc6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb6 ...
Black does not have to take the pawn. 2...Bc5, the Classical Variation, is one of the best-known ways to decline the King's Gambit. White still plays 3.Nf3, prepares d4 with 4.c3, and after the exchange on d4 has a broad pawn centre that controls a whole row of squares in Black's half.
3. Nf3 exf4 4. d4 g5 5. d5 g4 6. dxc6 gxf3 7. Qxf3 dxc6 8. Bxf4
After 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Black can reply 2...Nc6, the Queen's Knight Defense. It is one of the most common ways to avoid taking the pawn at once. White plays 3.Nf3 as usual, takes the centre with 4.d4, and when Black pushes the g-pawn the advance 5.d5 leads to a double attack that leaves White with the advantage.
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exf4 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. c4 c6 6. d4 cxd5 ...
White is not the only one who can be aggressive in the King's Gambit. With 2...d5, the Falkbeer Countergambit, Black answers one gambit with another. This is the one line where White's third move is not Nf3: White captures on d5 first, then supports the pawn with c4 and d4 and regains the f4 pawn with the bishop.
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Nxg4 Nxe4 ...
This game shows the mentality the King's Gambit calls for. Paul Morphy, probably the greatest player to have used the King's Gambit regularly, has White against another great player, Adolf Anderssen. It follows the 3...g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 line and is full of attacks and sacrifices, which makes it a fitting example of the opening.