Am I the only one who thinks that the King's Gambit is trash?

There are many better openings, I think it was Kramnik who said something like that with the King's Gambit white destroys his own position and gives up a pawn at the same time. Carlsen is the only top player to have used it in a classical game for decades, and it doesn't just have to do with fashion. Nimzowitsch and Keres played the Latvian Gambit once in a while but no top player would play it today. Then it's another thing what is fun on amateur level, but to me there are more exciting openings than the King's Gambit.

I don't see anywhere that I claimed to be a great chess player. But the OP has a complete beginner rating and is calling an opening "trash," when that opening has been used by plenty of grandmasters. I can't find a place where I condemned an entire opening while barely understanding what a fork is. Please let me know if I ever do such a thing.

The KG scares me, so I play the faulkbeer. And a bad line at that, but not many on my level like the direct refutation ... so i get away with it hehehe

No offense, and I typically respect what you have to say, but Short could beat you and me using the Basman's Defense (1.e4,g5?! or maybe even ?) and even ...f6?  If Paul Morphy of all people could lose against 1...f6?? (Why is it called Barnes' Defense again?) it could damn well happen to us, especially against world class opposition. 

And the King's Gambit, as dubious as it is nowadays, is much sounder than the Barnes'. 

Boris Spassky was the "Knight of the King's Gambit" and won with it often.  Bobby Fisher won with it many times as well.  After losing to Boris Spassky he wrote the famous "A Bust to the King's Gambit" article.  Yet he won playing the KG after publishing the article.  Hardly sounds like TRASH to me. 

I don't play it.  But if it makes for a fun game, why not try it? 

The Falkbeer is a great move.  I see 2...Bc5 recommended for those who don't know the theory but am personally more comfortable with 2...d5!? myself.  There's an interesting game Carlsen won against it but mostly for the endgame:

Once Fischer's 53 year old article is mentioned I generally stop following a thread because it usually brings out the tin foil hat brigade who refuse to believe that their deity might have got it slightly somewhat..well..wrong.

Yes.

No, you are not the only one who thinks this.  However, everyone who thinks this is wrong.

Here come the Fischer fans...

Anyway, I looked at some more theory, and saw some good variations. I still don't care for the opening, but I no longer think it is trash.

unless you have developed the tactical ability of paul morphy you are not able to call it garbage.

That said it is garbage, if you take two good players and make them play the kings gambit then black will win more often.

now with two bad players Ill give the edge to white.