King's Gambit

After 1.e4 e5, White plays 2.f4 and offers a pawn to remove Black's e5-pawn from the centre. Black's 2...exf4 accepts it, which gives White the chance to play a later d4 and build a broad pawn centre, and opens the f-file towards f7. The pawn on f4 also stops White from developing the dark-squared bishop along the c1–h6 diagonal until it is regained or dislodged. With 3.Nf3, the King's Knight Gambit, White develops a piece and stops ...Qh4+, a check that would force the white king to move and lose the right to castle.

The line covered here is the King's Knight Gambit itself, 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 (ECO C34). From this position Black chooses between holding the extra pawn and returning it. Holding it usually means ...g5, supporting f4 with the g-pawn, often followed by ...Bg7. White then attacks that chain with h4, or plays Bc4 and castles to press on f7. Returning the pawn usually means a quick ...d5 or ...Nf6 to break up White's centre and develop freely, or ...d6 to keep the centre closed.

The structures differ sharply. When Black keeps pawns on f4 and g5, the kingside is loose, and White aims for d4, Bxf4 or an open f-file. When Black plays ...d5, the e-pawns are often exchanged and the game becomes an open fight for development. Start with "King's Gambit: Accepted, King's Knight Gambit", which follows the main 3.Nf3 position through two complete games.