I agree with most of what's been posted.  3..g5 must be best, but 3..d5 is more practical.  The Nimzovich Counter Gambit is good for blitz.  Markovich's 5.Bc4 transposes to a line of the Bishop's Gambit, when 8..Nf6 might be better than 8..Bg4.

Yes, the Falkbeer is slightly inferior in all lines- White should get some advantage against both 3...c6 and 3...e4.

The line 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Nf3 g5 is almost certain to lead to a Hanstein Gambit, where Black is comfortable.  Just be careful not to be tempted into going ...g4 unless prompted with h2-h4, as the Muzio Gambit and related lines are dangerous for Black.  Black gets a pawn chain h6-g5-f4.

I agree that the objectively best response to 3.Nf3 is 3...g5 but that 3...d5 (or 2...d5 3.exd5 exf4) is perfectly adequate for Black.  But after 3...g5 you have to watch for the Rosentreter Gambit (4.d4), the Hanstein (4.Bc4, when 4...Nc6 transposes to the line in para 1) and the Kieseritzky with 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 (or the Allgaier, 5.Ng5).  In the Kieseritzky, 5...Nf6 is the best response, but play gets quite complex after 6.Bc4! d5 7.exd5 and either 7...Bd6 or 7...Bg7.

I have discussed my own pet response, 3...Nc6, which often tricks White into the Hanstein but is probably not as theoretically testing because 4.d4 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ne5 transposes to the 5...Nc6 line of the Kieseritzky (instead 5...Nf6 is more critical) and 4.Nc3 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng5 is better than the standard Allgaier.  However I'm not sure how 3...d6 (also intending 4...g5) is currently faring.  I remember White was having a few problems in the line 4.d4 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng1.

That's the Nimzowitsch Counter-Gambit, and I think 4. Nc3 is the best move, if I remember correctly. I'd also disagree that the Falkbeer is the best way to play for Black, since 1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. ed e4 4. d3! is probably somewhere around +=/=, and has been for a long time.

Definitely 3...g5 is the best move, but like Markovich said, it would also require the most work and memory, as well as tactical acumen in my opinion.

Wasn't there a large e-book or PGN file created by members of this forum on the King's Gambit not too long ago? Does that still exist somewhere?

Hey Guys,

what is the best line for black against the King's gambit?
I assume taking the pawn must be the start. I looked at the declined and seems to have a pleasant game.

1e4 e5 2f4 exf4 3.Nf3 and 3Bc4 ?what should black play. I started this topic because the other topic below dealt with black wanting to play something that has little theory.


On a side note I beat my first master a couple years ago in the following manner, I was black.

1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Bc4 f5!?! 4 e5 Qh4+ 5 Kf1 f3 6 d4 fxg2+ 7 Kxg2. Anyway, I am not so sure about this f5 stuff.