← King's Gambit

Practice: King's Gambit Accepted

Black takes the pawn

Black accepts the pawn and tries to hold it with ...g5. White plays h4 and the knight leaps to e5. One of the sharpest continuations in the Accepted.

1. e4 e5
2. f4 exf4
3. Nf3 g5
4. h4 g4
5. Ne5
♟

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Key strategic ideas

  • White sacrifices the f-pawn to open lines for a fast attack. The bishop and queen get active diagonals while Black struggles to complete development.
  • Black can accept the pawn (2...exf4) or decline. Accepting gives White the most attacking chances and Black must defend precisely.
  • White's plan is simple: develop fast, sacrifice more if needed, and checkmate on f7 or g7 before Black can catch up.

Common mistakes & traps

  • In the King's Gambit Accepted, Black's Classical Defense (3...g5) is risky. White can play 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 and get a powerful centre if Black does not follow up correctly.
  • The Fischer Defense (3...d6) is the safest. Black returns the pawn on f4 to stabilise the position and avoids the dangerous g5 lines.

Pawn structure notes

White gives up the f-pawn for open lines and fast development. The f-file becomes a highway for White's rook. Black's extra pawn on f4 can be a weakness if White plays accurately.

Tips

  • After Nxf7 in some lines, the Muzio Gambit arises - chaos ensues
  • Black's advanced g-pawn can become a liability or a strength depending on tactics
  • The King's Gambit Accepted was the most popular opening in 19th-century master chess

About this line

This line is rated intermediate. Practice it repeatedly until you can play the entire sequence without thinking. The in-app trainer tracks your perfect streaks and celebrates milestones.