Mason-Keres Gambit
- 1.e4e5
- 2.f4exf4
- 3.Nc3
983 games
A dubious King's Gambit Accepted line in which 3. Nc3 develops a knight but allows 3...Qh4+, forcing White's king to e2 in a sharp, risky game.
Train it in TheoriaAbout the Mason-Keres Gambit
The Mason-Keres Gambit, 3. Nc3, develops the queen's knight and supports e4 instead of addressing the threat of 3...Qh4+. Since the f4-pawn rules out blocking with g3, White must answer the check with 4. Ke2, leaving the king exposed in the center, and the line is regarded as unsound. The engine favors Black slightly, with 3...Qh4+ its top choice and the best-scoring reply in practice; 3...Nc6 and 3...g5 are played about as often, and White does well against 3...g5.