Open games & French

King's Gambit

1.e4 e5 2.f4

The King's Gambit starts with 1.e4 e5 2.f4 and is catalogued under ECO C30, in the open games & french half of the book. The catalog indexes 1 line inside it, grouped into 1 named variation, and the position after those moves has 1 playable continuation to walk from here.

Opening repertoire map

Root edges show how often each move is played around your Elo. Use the arrow on a position to reveal the next replies.

Current position
King's Gambit Accepted: Muzio Gambit, Sarratt Defense
Popularity by Elo
Share of Lichess blitz, rapid, and classical games that continued with each move.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h

Current setup

Move ideas

  1. 1.e4

    Claims the center with a pawn and opens lines for the queen and king’s bishop.

    Idea: Build quick development and make early castling possible.

  2. 1e5

    Meets White’s center directly and opens lines for Black’s queen and bishop.

    Idea: Fight for equal central space in a balanced, open position.

  3. 2.f4

    Advances the f-pawn to gain kingside space and control new squares.

    Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.

  4. 2exf4

    Captures the pawn on f4 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.

    Idea: Open lines in the kingside and reshape the center for the next phase.

  5. 3.Nf3

    Develops the knight to f3, bringing it into the game.

    Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.

  6. 3g5

    Advances the g-pawn to gain kingside space and control new squares.

    Idea: Prepare a fianchetto or discourage the opponent’s expansion on that wing.

  7. 4.Bc4

    Develops the bishop to c4, bringing it into the game.

    Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.

  8. 4g4

    Advances the g-pawn to gain kingside space and control new squares.

    Idea: Create useful wing space while keeping the central structure flexible.

  9. 5.O-O

    Tucks the king away and activates the rook in a single move.

    Idea: Finish kingside development so the central pieces can coordinate safely.

  10. 5gxf3

    Captures the knight on f3 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.

    Idea: Open lines in the kingside and reshape the center for the next phase.

  11. 6.Qxf3

    Captures the pawn on f3 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.

    Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.

  12. 6Qf6

    Repositions the queen to f6, where it influences a new part of the board.

    Idea: Coordinate threats carefully while avoiding unnecessary tempi against the queen.

  13. 7.e5

    Advances to e5 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.

    Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.

  14. 7Qxe5

    Captures the pawn on e5 and changes the local pawn or piece balance.

    Idea: Remove an active defender and improve the moving piece’s influence.

  15. 8.d3

    Advances to d3 to claim central space and control nearby key squares.

    Idea: Give the pieces room to develop behind a durable central foothold.

  16. 8Bh6

    Develops the bishop to h6, bringing it into the game.

    Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.

  17. 9.Nc3

    Develops the knight to c3, bringing it into the game.

    Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.

  18. 9Ne7

    Develops the knight to e7, bringing it into the game.

    Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.

  19. 10.Bd2

    Develops the bishop to d2, bringing it into the game.

    Idea: Improve piece coordination and clear the back rank for castling and the rooks.

Book continuations

Waiting for Lichess game popularity.

1 move

Named variations

Each line below is an indexed entry under King's Gambit. Open one to load it on the board and keep exploring from that position.

ECO groups openings by the structures they lead to, so these families tend to share plans with the King's Gambit.