King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line

King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line is a chess opening with the ECO code C31, part of the King's Gambit Declined family. It goes 1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4. White opens with 1. e4 (the king's pawn) and Black answers 1... e5. After 6 moves it is White to move. After the last move White 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... d5 – Black plays the pawn to d5
• 3. exd5 – White captures on d5 with the e-pawn
• 3... e4 – Black plays the pawn to e4

In chessGM's opening book this position continues with 4. d3.

About the King's Gambit Declined

After 1.e4 e5 2.f4, Black refuses the pawn, usually with 2...Bc5 or 2...d5. This avoids White's main attacking lines.

• The bishop on c5 stops White from castling short easily.
• 2...d5 (Falkbeer) hits back in the centre right away.
• Black develops normally and watches the f-file and the a7-g1 diagonal.

chessGM has a full course for this line: open the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Staunton Line course lesson.

Related openings

• It extends: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit Accepted (1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5)
• Continues with: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Anderssen Attack – adds 4. Bb5+
• Continues with: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit – adds 4. d3
• Continues with: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Rubinstein Variation – adds 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Qe2
• Related line: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Rubinstein Variation (1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Qe2)
• Related line: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Alapin Variation (1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Nf3 Bc5 7. Qe2 Bf2+ 8. Kd1 Qxd5+ 9. Nfd2)
• Related line: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Pickler Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 c6 4. dxc6 Bc5)
• Related line: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Qe2)
• Related line: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Nimzowitsch-Marshall Countergambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 c6)
• Related line: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit Accepted (1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4)

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