King's Gambit Accepted: Cunningham Defense, Bertin Gambit is a chess opening with the ECO code C35, part of the King's Gambit Accepted family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Be7 4. Bc4 Bh4+ 5. g3 fxg3 6. O-O gxh2+ 7. Kh1. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 13 moves it is Black to move. After the last move Black is 3 points 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
3. Nf3 – White plays the knight to f3
3... Be7 – Black plays the bishop to e7
4. Bc4 – White plays the bishop to c4
4... Bh4+ – Black plays the bishop to h4, giving check
5. g3 – White plays the pawn to g3
5... fxg3 – Black captures on g3 with the f-pawn
6. O-O – White castles kingside
6... gxh2+ – Black captures on h2 with the g-pawn, giving check
The line goes on for 1 more moves; the lesson shows them all.
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.
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