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King's Gambit

Last updated on Sat, 11/28/2009 at 4:33pm.

The King's Gambit is a chess opening that begins:

1. e4 e5
2. f4

White offers a pawn to divert the Black e-pawn and build a stronger center with d2-d4. Theory has shown that in order for Black to maintain the one pawn advantage, moves must be made that seriously weaken the position of the Black pieces. King's Gambit is one of the oldest documented openings as it was examined by the 17th century Italian chess player Giulio Polerio.[1] It is in an older book by Luis Ramirez de Lucena [2] The King's Gambit is now rarely seen at the master level. Black can obtain a reasonable position by relinquishing the extra pawn at a later time and consolidating defensively.  The King's gambit may either be accepted (black takes the f pawn) or declined.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King's_Gambit

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Comments:

by miyagi - 2 years ago
Phillip Island Australia
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 100
Where can I get more info on K Gambit?
by ash1234 - 2 years ago
philippines Philippines
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 88
i want to learn more in kings gambit where should i find those opening?
by vash1905 - 23 months ago
cavite city Philippines
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 1
I love this opening ^_^
by savovlacic18st - 22 months ago
Sekovici Bosnia-Herzegovina
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 5
DIJA
by Houles - 22 months ago
Dumaguete City Philippines
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 2
i want to learn about this opening.
by SnoopyDizza11 - 21 months ago
New York City United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 32
Whats the purpose of this openning?
by ouchimdead - 21 months ago
Sydney Australia
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 73
the kings gambit is more accepted than the queens gambit but i still dont get the point of kings gambit
by prash3988 - 20 months ago
mumbai India
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 19
kings gambit is claimed to be a positional play by white .....by deprieving black off with its e5 pawn,white gains control of the center
by BirdBrain - 19 months ago
KY United States
Member Since: Apr 2008
Member Points: 1806

The purpose of this opening is to gain control of the center by diverting Black's epawn with 2. f4.  You play as follows: e4 e5 f4.  Now if Black plays exf4 (King's Gambit Accepted), then normal play by White includes either Bc4 (Bishop's Gambit) which invites Qh4+ Kf1, and White loses the right to castle, but it is not terrible at all, since 1. after Nf3, the queen has to move, 2. after d4, black's f-pawn is under attack and White has a strong grab of the center, and 3. the king is not as poorly placed at f1 as it looks.  White can also play Nf3 to prevent Qh4 and prepare d4, but this allows d5, a decent counterattack by Black at White's center.  So the preference is up to you, depending on what kind of play you like. 

Many King's Gambit players have a strong sacrificial style, choosing initiative over material.  They will attack with all they have quickly at Black's king, sometimes sacrificing two or three pieces with the aim of checkmate. 

 A few lines are as follows:

e4 e5 f4 exf4 Nf3 g5 (Black aims to keep the pawn on f4) h4! (to counterattack the pawn structure) and g4 is obliged (if gxh, then Rxh and White has many serious threats against Black's kingside) and then White can play Ne5 (the Kieseritsky Gambit) with a more positional nature, or Ng5 (the Allgaier) with a plan to sac the knight on f7 and pull the king into the center of the board.

After Nf3, Black can also choose d5 to open the board and attack White's center.

Black can also choose e4 e5 f4 d5!?, the Falkbeer countergambit designed to cramp White's position after exd e4 (if fxe??, then Qh4 and White needs to start praying). 

You may ask why White, in any sane state of mind, would want to expose the king so early with f4.  If you are going to play an opening, you have to understand its imbalances.  The king is unsafe if you cannot keep him safe.  World champions have used this opening successfully for decades.  As a matter of fact, this opening used to be a top level choice until around the 60's I believe, when Fischer wrote a supposed bust to the King's Gambit.  The idea is that Black obtains a satisfactory position by relinquishing the held pawn at the right moment.  The thing is that when this opening was at its prime, people weren't worried about getting back that f-pawn...they wanted the king from move 1. 

 So if you are going to try the King's Gambit, get a book on one of the lines and spend some time with it.  Like any other opening...it is like a relationship - the more time you spend with it, the better you get to know it and understand it.


by garykitz03 - 18 months ago
bulacan Philippines
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 6
using king's gambit opening is quite dangerous...it is just like a sudden death war in the ancient time..so be aware of it!!!
by shambo - 17 months ago
Great Britain
Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 301

It's a great opening, and I win more often than not with it. I allways play 3.Bc4

to prevent d5, and am prepared to move my king to f1, it is not a nice opening to play against, and I do much better against someone I know who is rated about 600-700 higher than me, as he is disconcerted by it.


by lukeyboy_xx - 16 months ago
london England
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 4544

game xplorer can help u with stuff like this.

by vensanity - 13 months ago
Manila Philippines
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 172

automatically white controls the center squares

3. d4

4.Bxf4

5.Nf3

6.Nc3

yes!! very powerful....

by zinger - 13 months ago
American Samoa
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 1

I was always losing to this kings gambit opening as black, but now I have ficsher defence at hand....kings gambit accepted fisher defence kicks white's boootey!!

by Alisner - 13 months ago
kuching Malaysia
Member Since: Sep 2008
Member Points: 12

i like this.... and i want to learn more in kings gambit. Where should i find those opening...?

by Pikaspeed - 12 months ago
Canton United States
Member Since: Nov 2008
Member Points: 101

Definitely a good opening playSmile

by Timark - 11 months ago
Northampton United Kingdom
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 36

I would always accept the pawn and won when against kings gambit - but never accept queens gambit 

by turbine506 - 11 months ago
Muntinlupa Philippines
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 117

hello zinger, need to understand more on fischer defense

by TheKhaotik - 11 months ago
Denmark
Member Since: Jan 2009
Member Points: 72

Good opening!, I've had some success with King's Gambit Accepted against GNU Chess on Easy anyway... here's the game

by turbine506 - 11 months ago
Muntinlupa Philippines
Member Since: Dec 2008
Member Points: 117

i need ro practice this one

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