King's Gambit Accepted

King's Gambit Accepted is a chess opening with the ECO code C33. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 4 moves it is White to move. After the last move Black is a pawn ahead in material. The lesson on the board explains every move of the line and lets you play it yourself; it is free.

The moves

• 1. e4 – White plays the pawn to e4
• 1... e5 – Black plays the pawn to e5
• 2. f4 – White plays the pawn to f4
• 2... exf4 – Black captures on f4 with the e-pawn

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 3. Nf3, 3. Bc4.

About the King's Gambit Accepted

After 1.e4 e5 2.f4, Black takes the pawn with 2...exf4. The game turns wild: White wants a big centre and an attack on f7.

• White plays Nf3, d4 and Bc4, then opens the f-file to attack f7.
• Black can hold the pawn with ...g5 or give it back with ...d5 for easy development.
• Watch the e1-h4 diagonal: ...Qh4+ can be a dangerous check against White's king.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the King's Gambit Accepted course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: King's Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4)
• Continues with: King's Gambit Accepted: Basman Gambit – adds 3. Qe2
• Continues with: King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit – adds 3. Bc4
• Continues with: King's Gambit Accepted: Breyer Gambit – adds 3. Qf3
• Continues with: King's Gambit Accepted: Carrera Gambit – adds 3. Qh5
• Continues with: King's Gambit Accepted: Dodo Variation – adds 3. Qg4
• Continues with: King's Gambit Accepted: Eisenberg Variation – adds 3. Nh3
• Continues with: King's Gambit Accepted: Gaga Gambit – adds 3. g3
• Continues with: King's Gambit Accepted: Mason-Keres Gambit – adds 3. Nc3
• Related line: King's Gambit Accepted: Basman Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Qe2)
• Related line: King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4)
• Related line: King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Anderssen Defense (1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 g5)
• Related line: King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Anderssen Variation (1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 d5 4. Bxd5 c6)
• Related line: King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Bledow Countergambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 d5 4. Bxd5 Nf6)
• Related line: King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Bledow Variation (1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 d5)

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