King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit

What Is The Bishop's Gambit?

3.Bc4 aims the bishop straight at f7 and refuses to spend a move stopping 3...Qh4+. White answers the check with 4.Kf1 and gives up the right to castle. That is a trade, not a blunder: the queen on h4 becomes a target, and Nf3 later gains a tempo on her while White builds the centre with d4. The check wins nothing lasting.

Your compensation for the pawn is the centre and a lead in development: d4, Nc3 and constant pressure on f7. Black must choose between holding the extra pawn with ...g5 and ...Bg7 or returning it to finish development, and games turn on that choice. Cling to f4 and White's centre rolls forward. Hand it back too early and White keeps the better structure for nothing.

How Do You Beat The King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit?

You are Black, and the field is wide open: 19% play 3...Qh4+, 17% 3...Nf6 and 15% 3...g5. White has skipped Nf3 and developed the bishop, which means the check on h4 is available and White has accepted a displaced king to gain a tempo.

3...Qh4+ forces White to move the king and lose castling rights permanently, which is worth more than the tempo you spend bringing the queen back later. After 4.Kf1 the position is genuinely double edged: White is a pawn down with a king in the middle, and you have a queen that will be chased. Both sides land close, 51% to 47% over 219 games.

What Do Players Choose At The Decision Point?

Move	Share		Games
Nf3	89%		4,237
Bc4	6%		263
d4	3%		139
d3	1%		39

How Does Play Continue From Here?

Move	Share		Games
Qh4+	19%		51
Nf6	17%		45
g5	15%		40
d6	10%		27