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Kings Gambit Primer

The King's Gambit is an opening where White offers a pawn on the second move by playing f4 after 1.e4 e5. Black has two main options - accept the pawn with exf4, or decline it by playing d5 or Bc5. Accepting the pawn gives Black counterplay but also helps White's plans of controlling the center. Declining preserves a solid structure for Black but allows White rapid development. The document outlines the key lines for both accepting and declining the gambit pawn.

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272 views5 pages

Kings Gambit Primer

The King's Gambit is an opening where White offers a pawn on the second move by playing f4 after 1.e4 e5. Black has two main options - accept the pawn with exf4, or decline it by playing d5 or Bc5. Accepting the pawn gives Black counterplay but also helps White's plans of controlling the center. Declining preserves a solid structure for Black but allows White rapid development. The document outlines the key lines for both accepting and declining the gambit pawn.

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Kings Gambit Primer

The Kings Gambit is a potent weapon from Morphy's time, which has never
been completely refuted. Defensive technique has improved in the last 150
years, so that Black need not fear if he knows his lines of play. The
unprepared player should be very, very careful.
We enter the Kings Gambit after the first three moves; 1.e4 e5 and 2.f4.

1.e4 e5 2.f4 .

Whites plan is simple: he will draw Blacks e-pawn away from the centre and
open the f-file by temporarily giving up his own f-pawn. If Black accepts the
gambit f-pawn (with 2. exf4) Blacks pawns on f4 and f7 might become
targets. If White can tempt Blacks pawn away from the centre, White can try
to dominate the centre with a later d4 as this would give him very strong
pawns on both e4 and d4.

Blacks Options:
1. Accept the gambit pawn with 2. exf4
2. Decline the gambit pawn with either 2. d5 or 2. Bc5
Note: Black should not try to sure up his e5 pawn with 2. d6? as this gives
him a very cramped position and an inferior centre (White will play to
develop his pieces rapidly while the f8 bishop remains entombed by his own
pawns).

Accepting the gambit


(A) 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4.
Black accepts the offered pawn.
Black has two main plans here:
1. Try to hold onto the extra pawn.
2. Give back the pawn at an
appropriate moment to improve
development or position.
Taking the pawn does fall in with
Whites plan of f-file attacks and
domination of the centre, BUT the
immediate threat White must guard against is the potentially nasty check by
Black playing .Qh4+. White has two methods of dealing with the threat of
this check: 3.Nf3 or 3.Bc4.

(A1) 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3

This move is virtually forced if White


wishes to avoid the nasty check
mentioned above.

Black usually responds 3.Nf6 which


forces a liquidation of the centre pawns,
e.g.

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e5 Nh5 5.d4 d5


1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 d5! 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Nxd5 Qxd5
Note that the response 3.g5 (instead of 3. Nf6) by Black is very
complicated and not for the faint-hearted!

(A2) 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4

With this move White accepts the check


(. Qh4+) and also accepts that he will
probably have to move his King to f1 as
a result of that check.
White hopes that his strong centre and
excellent development will lead to an
advantage.
Black should try to gain some equality
in the centre before unleashing the check. Usually equality can be reached by
giving back the gambit pawn in return for either improved development or
the permanent displacement of Whites King. Blacks usual counter to this
move is 3. d5.
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 d5 and now White has:
4.Bxd5 Nf6 with equality as the Bishop will have to move for the third
time, allowing Black to catch up in development.
4.exd5 Qh4+ 5.Kf1 with complications for Whites displaced King.

Declining the gambit


Black has a couple of ways to decline the gambit pawn. He can play a gambit
of his own (Falkbeer Counter-Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5), or he can play for
rapid development via a quick bishop move (1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5). Both lines are
valid ways to refute the gambit.
(B1) Falkbeer Counter-Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5
Black tries to turn the tables on White
with a counter gambit of his own. He
hopes to secure an attack at the expense
of a pawn. Black gives up a pawn to
take back the initiative. It is effective
against players who only know how to
attack. Theory says that White gets the
better ending.
White usually responds with
immediate capture of the d pawn:

an

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5


[Note: White should not play 3.fxe5?? due to the reply 3.Qh4+ 4.g3 Qxe4+
which is winning for Black.]
3. e4! (Blacks game rests on the strength of this pawn).
4. d3 (a natural move) 4.Nf6! Black makes it a true gambit by not
immediately exchanging pawns.

(B2) 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5


This is the King's Gambit Declined.
Black obtains a fairly safe position.

Blacks second move 2. Bc5 is made


possible by the fact that White cannot
afford to capture the e-pawn just yet
[e.g. 3.fxe4? Qh4+! 4.g3 Qxe4+ and
White will lose his rook.]

Instead, White should look to play the natural looking 3.Nf3 as this guards
against the Queen check on h4.
Now that Black has moved his bishop out, he can defend the d-pawn with
d6 quite happily. Black should not try to sure up his e5 pawn earlier with
2. d6? At this gives him a very cramped position and an inferior centre
(White will play to develop his pieces rapidly while the f8 bishop remains
entombed by his own pawns).
So after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d6 we arrive at this position:

White has two playable lines:


4. Nc3 when black counters with
4.Nf6
Or
4. c3 when Black can rip open the centre
with 4.f5!

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