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King's Gambit Declined

Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Morphy Defense

C31gambittacticaloffbeat

  1. 1.e4e5
  2. 2.Nc3Nf6
  3. 3.f4d5
  4. 4.exd5e4
  5. 5.d3Bb4
  6. 6.Bd2e3
241 games38%57%

A sharp King's Gambit Declined line in which Black, already a pawn down in the Charousek Gambit, offers the e-pawn as well with 6...e3.

Train it in Theoria

About the Morphy Defense

The Morphy Defense usually arises from the Vienna Gambit move order 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5. After 5...Bb4 pins the c3-knight and 6. Bd2 breaks the pin, 6...e3 gives up a second pawn to hit the bishop and disrupt White's development. 7. Bxe3 is by far the usual reply, while 7. Qe2 scores very poorly for White. The engine considers the position balanced, yet Black scores well in practice.

Popular continuations