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King's Gambit Accepted

Salvio Gambit, Santa Maria Defense

C37tacticaloffbeatgambit

  1. 1.e4e5
  2. 2.f4exf4
  3. 3.Nf3g5
  4. 4.Bc4g4
  5. 5.Ne5Qh4+
  6. 6.Kf1Nf6
50 games30%70%

A rare King's Gambit line in which Black meets the Salvio Gambit's 6. Kf1 with 6...Nf6, developing and hitting e4; engines favor Black.

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About the Santa Maria Defense

The Santa Maria Defense is Black's developing reply 6...Nf6 in the Salvio Gambit. The knight comes out with gain of time against the e4-pawn while White's king stands uncastled on f1. The most frequent answer is 7. Bxf7+, recovering the pawn on the weak square. The alternatives 7. d3 and 7. Nxf7 are also seen. Engines rate Black's position as clearly better. The line is uncommon, and Black wins most of the few online games that reach it.

Popular continuations