Have Fun With The King's Gambit
During the golden age of the King’s Gambit in the mid-19th century, players like Paul Morphy were renowned for their crushing victories that often began with this opening. Back then, the King’s Gambit was the opening of choice for most of the world’s top chess players.
These days, the King’s Gambit is no longer in vogue. Extensive analysis has shown it to be objectively dubious compared to other openings at White’s disposal. Therefore, it is rare to see the King’s Gambit played at the elite level anymore.
However, it's still worth a look! It leads to exhilarating games. Among casual players and club players, it is still very possible to win with the King’s Gambit.
In this article, we explore the following, including:
- The pros and cons of playing the King’s Gambit.
- Some of the best King’s Gambit games ever played.
- How to continue your education in this iconic chess opening from the Romantic era.
Introduction To The King’s Gambit
The King’s Gambit begins 1. e4 e5, 2. f4.
White sacrifices a pawn on move two - with the idea that if Black were to capture via 2. …exf4 (the King’s Gambit Accepted), then White can gain control of the center with the d4 thrust at some point.
The Queen’s Gambit has essentially the same rationale, albeit on the other side of the board. After 1. d4 d5, White plays 2. c4, gambiting the c-pawn and looking to take over the center with the e4 advance if Black chooses to play 2. …dxc4 (the Queen’s Gambit Accepted).
Why Has The King’s Gambit Lost Popularity?
The Queen’s Gambit remains one of the most popular chess openings for White, whereas the King’s Gambit has much less of a following. Why?
One of the main ideas in the King’s Gambit is to launch a quick attack against the Black king. At the height of its popularity, players did not defend as well as they do today. Players of the mid-19th century had yet to discover resources against the King’s Gambit that modern players have access to.
By advancing their f-pawn at such an early juncture, White opens up potentially dangerous lines within their own position, particularly on the dark squares.
- The h4-e1 diagonal gives Black the possibility of Qh4+ if White does not prevent it.
- The a7-g1 diagonal can also be problematic, given White’s f-pawn is no longer on f2.
The opening statistics in the King’s Gambit are not great for White. After 1. e4 e5, the King’s Gambit (2. f4) has the highest percentage of Black victories (39%) out of White’s most popular second moves at master level.
Additionally, the analysis engine evaluates the starting position as -0.56: i.e., somewhat better for Black. Given that White starts the game with the advantage of moving first, it may be concerning to read that the Gambit sees this advantage vanish immediately.
If you are seeking a chess opening for White that is more favored by theoreticians, then check out our article on The 10 Most Important Modern Chess Openings.
So, Why Play The King’s Gambit?
Despite all of this, there are still compelling reasons to play the King’s Gambit:
- It’s unusual. The fact that the King’s Gambit is seldom played means that there is a strong chance that your opponents with the Black pieces will not be heavily prepared for it. You can quickly get your opponents out of their comfort zone.
- It’s aggressive. The most important thing to consider when developing your opening repertoire is whether it fits with your style as a chess player. The King’s Gambit guarantees a sharp, tactical game.
- It’s fun. Forget about the computer’s evaluation and the statistics at the master's level. Chess is a game, and as such, you should have fun with it! Whether you win, lose, or draw, playing the King’s Gambit is bound to be exciting!
Let us now move on to two of the most celebrated games ever played in the King’s Gambit. By studying these, you can gain ideas that you can use in your own play.
Famous King’s Gambit Games
Morphy vs. Anderssen, 1858: 1-0
No article about the gambit is complete without including a game from the great Paul Morphy.
During the romantic era of chess, it was considered “ungentlemanly” to decline a gambit. After the King’s Gambit Accepted (2. …exf4) this game saw a typical continuation: 3. Nf3 g5, 4. h4 g4, 5. Ne5.
The game is already very unbalanced. Black has an extra pawn and has gained space on the kingside. Meanwhile, White has a strong knight on e5, with pressure against the naturally weak f7 square. These are the sorts of positions you should expect.
Morphy is justifiably remembered today for prioritizing activity and initiative over material.
Related: Paul Morphy and the Evolution of Chess Theory.
This was exemplified a few moves later when, in the below position, Morphy ignored Black’s threat against his rook on h1 and instead played 8. Bxf4! - a capture which brought his dark-squared bishop off its starting square and into the action.
Black duly grabbed the rook in the corner via 8. …Nxh1.
White has a lead in development, but Black is up a whole rook. If Black is given time to consolidate, he should win easily due to his decisive material advantage.
Morphy’s next move was 9. Qe2+ which Black blocked with 9. …Qe7. Then, Morphy began a beautiful tactical sequence starting with 10. Nf6+!
Due to the pin along the e-file, White’s knight cannot be captured. Therefore, 10. …Kd8 is absolutely forced. This allowed Morphy to unleash another thunderbolt with 11. Bxc7+!
Again, Black has no choice. The bishop must be captured via 11. Kxc7. Finally, we get to see the point behind Morphy’s combination: 12. Nd5+ which forks Black’s king and queen.
Morphy went on to win against one of the most formidable chess masters in Europe at the time.
Spassky vs. Fischer, 1960: 1-0
This bout between two future world champions occurred more than a decade before their legendary encounter in the 1972 World Chess Championship.
By the mid-20th century, it had already declined in popularity. Boris Spassky was one of only a few top grandmasters in the world who were still willing to play it in serious competition.
In this game, Spassky was able to play 6. d4, establishing a strong presence in the center to go with his active knight on e5.
Later, Spassky was able to create some pressure via 15. Qg4 - pinning Black’s bishop and threatening 16. Bh6. The fact that Black’s g-pawn has advanced down the board can often be important to White’s attacking chances in the King’s Gambit.
Fischer found the best reply: 15. …f5! This forced White’s queen to move. The game continued with Black maintaining an extra pawn, but needing to be constantly vigilant of White’s threats against his exposed king.
Finally, Fischer made a decisive mistake with 26. …Rf8??, which overlooked Spassky’s devastating reply: 27. Re5!
Black’s queen has no safe square which also maintains its defense of the bishop on e7. Commenting on this position in his book My 60 Memorable Games, Bobby Fischer wrote: “Incredibly, Black must lose a piece. While trying to figure out what was going on in Spassky’s head, I blundered and lost the game!”
Fischer resigned a few moves later.
This defeat motivated Fischer to research his so-called “refutation” of the King’s Gambit, which he published the following year in American Chess Quarterly. After 2. …exf4, 3. Nf3 Fischer advocated for 3. …d6.
This prevents White from playing Ne5 in the future—an idea we saw in both this game and the Morphy vs. Anderssen game. Thanks to his contributions to the opening theory, this variation for Black has become known as the Fischer Defense.
Next Steps: How To Learn More About The King’s Gambit
This article has provided everything you need to get started. A good next step would be to try out the King’s Gambit in games where there is not too much at stake, such as in online blitz chess. Get a feel for the King’s Gambit and test whether you would like to invest more time in learning it.
If you intend to play the gambit in official tournament games, then it would be wise to study it further - including what to do in case Black declines the gambit (for example, via 2. …d5: the Falkbeer Countergambit).
Book Recommendation
Our top pick to take your understanding of the King’s Gambit to the next level is GM John Shaw’s book The King’s Gambit.
Drawing on modern examples from the likes of Nigel Short, Hikaru Nakamura, and Vadim Zvjaginsev, this book proves that the King’s Gambit remains relevant even today.
Summary: Is The King’s Gambit Right For You
The King’s Gambit could be worth adding to your White opening repertoire if you:
- Enjoy double-edged positions. The King’s Gambit can get very sharp, even in the first few moves. You should be prepared to commit some opening theory to memory. You should also have trust in your calculation abilities in the sorts of high-stakes positions the King’s Gambit tends to lead to.
- Are you willing to risk it all? There is a low drawing percentage in the King’s Gambit. This is an opening to choose when you want to spice things up in the pursuit of victory - even if that means a greater chance of suffering a loss.
- Are not overly concerned about computer evaluations. As we saw, computer engines disapprove of the King’s Gambit. This should not bother you. Instead, you should be willing to back your ability to win in a human-to-human battle of wits.
Does that sound like a chess opening for White that you would enjoy?
If so, then continue your education in the King’s Gambit today!