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King's Gambit, Classical Variation
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King's Gambit, Classical Variation
The Classical Variation of the King's Gambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
By playing this move, Black supports the pawn on f4, aiming to prevent it from being recaptured after a later d4 and Bxf4 from White. The move also threatens to kick White's knight on f3 with ...g4, or else to consolidate with ...Bg7 and ...h6. However, the move also weakens Black's kingside. White's most common reply is 4.h4, most often continuing 4...g4 5.Ne5, the Kieseritzky Gambit, the main line of the variation. The next most common is 4.Bc4, most often continuing 4...Bg7, the Traditional Defense, or 4...g4 5.0-0, entering the Muzio Gambit. Also somewhat common are the Rosentreter Gambit, 4.d4, and the Quaade Gambit, 4.Nc3.
3...g5 was the main line of the King's Gambit in the 19th century and remains the most common today, although it is no longer as dominant. After Bobby Fischer lost to Boris Spassky in a 1960 game in the Kieseritzky Gambit, Fischer developed and advocated the alternative 3...d6 in a famous 1961 article in the first issue of the American Chess Quarterly. Both lines are well regarded.
In the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, the Classical Variation is given the codes C37 through C39.
The line has been studied since at least the 1500s. The main line, now known as the Kieseritzky Gambit, was first described by Polerio in the late 16th century. Greco also included a game with this opening in his 1620 collection. It was also analyzed by Salvio (1604) and Philidor (1749).
White's most common move in response to 3...g5 is 4.h4, which all but forces 4...g4. Attempting to create a pawn chain loses the advantage due to 4...h6 5.hxg5 hxg5 6.Rxh8 (or 4...f6 5.Nxg5 fxg5 6.Qh5+ Ke7), so Black instead counterattacks, forcing White to move the knight, most commonly to e5, the Kieseritzky Gambit. Black can also play 4...d5, but this is rare.
The Kieseritzky Gambit, 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5, is considered by modern writers such as Shaw and Gallagher to be the main line after 3...g5. It was popularized by Lionel Kieseritzky in the 1840s and used successfully by Wilhelm Steinitz. Boris Spassky used it to beat Bobby Fischer in a famous game at Mar del Plata in 1960. Black's most common response is 5...Nf6, the Berlin Defense. The main line of the gambit continues 6.Bc4 d5 7.exd5 Bd6, also known as the Anderssen Defense.
White also commonly plays 6.d4, the Rubinstein Variation, which usually continues 6...d6 7.Nd3 Nxe4 8.Bxf4. White may also play 6.Nxg4, inviting the surprising forcing continuation 6...Nxe4 7.d3 Ng3 8.Bxf4 Nxh1 (8...Qe7+ 9.Be2 is also common and escapes the sequence) 9.Qe2+ Qe7 10.Nf6+ Kd8 11.Bxc7+ Kxc7 12.Nd5+ Kd8 13.Nxe7 Bxe7, leading to an extremely imbalanced position where White has a rook, bishop, and knight in exchange for Black's queen and one pawn.
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King's Gambit, Classical Variation
The Classical Variation of the King's Gambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
By playing this move, Black supports the pawn on f4, aiming to prevent it from being recaptured after a later d4 and Bxf4 from White. The move also threatens to kick White's knight on f3 with ...g4, or else to consolidate with ...Bg7 and ...h6. However, the move also weakens Black's kingside. White's most common reply is 4.h4, most often continuing 4...g4 5.Ne5, the Kieseritzky Gambit, the main line of the variation. The next most common is 4.Bc4, most often continuing 4...Bg7, the Traditional Defense, or 4...g4 5.0-0, entering the Muzio Gambit. Also somewhat common are the Rosentreter Gambit, 4.d4, and the Quaade Gambit, 4.Nc3.
3...g5 was the main line of the King's Gambit in the 19th century and remains the most common today, although it is no longer as dominant. After Bobby Fischer lost to Boris Spassky in a 1960 game in the Kieseritzky Gambit, Fischer developed and advocated the alternative 3...d6 in a famous 1961 article in the first issue of the American Chess Quarterly. Both lines are well regarded.
In the Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings, the Classical Variation is given the codes C37 through C39.
The line has been studied since at least the 1500s. The main line, now known as the Kieseritzky Gambit, was first described by Polerio in the late 16th century. Greco also included a game with this opening in his 1620 collection. It was also analyzed by Salvio (1604) and Philidor (1749).
White's most common move in response to 3...g5 is 4.h4, which all but forces 4...g4. Attempting to create a pawn chain loses the advantage due to 4...h6 5.hxg5 hxg5 6.Rxh8 (or 4...f6 5.Nxg5 fxg5 6.Qh5+ Ke7), so Black instead counterattacks, forcing White to move the knight, most commonly to e5, the Kieseritzky Gambit. Black can also play 4...d5, but this is rare.
The Kieseritzky Gambit, 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5, is considered by modern writers such as Shaw and Gallagher to be the main line after 3...g5. It was popularized by Lionel Kieseritzky in the 1840s and used successfully by Wilhelm Steinitz. Boris Spassky used it to beat Bobby Fischer in a famous game at Mar del Plata in 1960. Black's most common response is 5...Nf6, the Berlin Defense. The main line of the gambit continues 6.Bc4 d5 7.exd5 Bd6, also known as the Anderssen Defense.
White also commonly plays 6.d4, the Rubinstein Variation, which usually continues 6...d6 7.Nd3 Nxe4 8.Bxf4. White may also play 6.Nxg4, inviting the surprising forcing continuation 6...Nxe4 7.d3 Ng3 8.Bxf4 Nxh1 (8...Qe7+ 9.Be2 is also common and escapes the sequence) 9.Qe2+ Qe7 10.Nf6+ Kd8 11.Bxc7+ Kxc7 12.Nd5+ Kd8 13.Nxe7 Bxe7, leading to an extremely imbalanced position where White has a rook, bishop, and knight in exchange for Black's queen and one pawn.