King's Gambit Accepted · C39

Kieseritzky Gambit, Berlin Defense, de Riviere Variation

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Nxg4 d5

The pawns on d5 and e4 stand in direct tension - the first player to resolve it chooses the structure. f4 offers a pawn to drag Black's e-pawn off the centre and open the f-file - development and attack against material, the oldest bargain in chess.

The first 4 moves, explained

• 1. e4 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d5, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 1... e5 Stakes a claim in the centre, controlling d4, and frees the bishop and queen.
• 2. f4 Challenges the pawn on e5 - the central tension has to resolve. The pawn is genuinely on offer - this is the King's Gambit: development and initiative over material.
• 2... exf4 Takes the pawn on f4, toward the centre. Theory calls this the King's Gambit Accepted.

Sign in to read every move's note and train this line — 8 more moves in this line, 12 in all.