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| Moves | 1.e4 e5 2.f4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECO | C30–C39 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Origin | No later than 16th century | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parent | Open Game | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The King's Gambit is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
White offers a pawn to divert the black e-pawn. If Black accepts the gambit, White may play d4 and Bxf4, regaining the gambit pawn with central domination, or direct their forces against the weak square f7 with moves such as Nf3, Bc4, 0-0, and g3. A downside to the King's Gambit is that it weakens White's king's position, exposing it to the latent threat of ...Qh4+ (or ...Be7–h4+), which may force White to give up castling rights.
The King's Gambit is one of the oldest documented openings, appearing in one of the earliest chess books, Luis Ramírez de Lucena's Repetición de Amores y Arte de Ajedrez (1497).[1] It was examined by the 17th-century Italian chess player Giulio Cesare Polerio.[2] The King's Gambit was one of the most popular openings until the late 19th century, when improvements in defensive technique led to its decline in popularity. It is infrequently seen at master level today, as Black has several methods to obtain equality, but is still popular at amateur level.
- ^ Hooper, David; Kenneth, Whyld (1996) [First pub. 1992], "King's Gambit", The Oxford Companion to Chess (2nd ed.), Oxford University Press, p. 201, ISBN 0-19-866164-9
- ^ Ristoja, Thomas; Aulikki Ristoja (1995). Perusteet. Shakki (in Finnish). WSOY. p. 58. ISBN 951-0-20505-2.