King's Gambit
191 variations · C30 to C39
The idea
f4: the f-file has to open.
White gives up the f-pawn to open the f-file and take the center with d4. The target is often f7.
Where it comes from
The King's Gambit is one of the oldest openings there is. Lucena described it as early as 1497, in one of the first printed chess books. In the nineteenth century it was one of the most popular openings. One of the most famous games ever played began with it: the Immortal Game, Anderssen against Kieseritzky, London 1851. Later, players learned to defend better and it went out of fashion. Spassky still beat Fischer with it in 1960. A year later Fischer published an article meant to refute the gambit: "A Bust to the King's Gambit". At the highest level you rarely see it today.
The opening itself
C30 · 2 moves
King's Gambit
Variations 191
- C33 · 2 moves
Black takes the pawn and holds on to it.
King's Gambit Declined 53
Black leaves the pawn alone.
Names and moves from lichess-org/chess-openings (CC0).