Bishop's Opening: Urusov Gambit
The Urusov Gambit arises after 3...exd4 4.Nf3, where White leaves the d4 pawn alone and develops toward Black's king instead. Black can grab e4 with ...Nxe4, check with ...Bb4+ or play ...Bc5, while White wants Qxd4, long castling and pressure down the open files.
- Moves
- 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3
- ECO
- C43
- Engine
- −0.29 · level (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
- Played
- 684 games in our lichess sample
- White scores
- 55.8%
Key ideas for both sides
White
- Against ...Nxe4, Qxd4 recovers a pawn with tempo, then Nc3, Bg5 and long castling aim everything at the d-file.
- Meet ...Bb4+ with c3: after ...dxc3 and bxc3, the c3 pawn and the open b-file give White fast development.
- Against ...Bc5, e5 kicks the knight, and after ...d5 and exf6 a pawn on g7 tears open the kingside.
Black
- ...Bb4+ followed by ...d5 returns material and opens Black's position for its own pieces.
- ...Nxe4 grabs a second pawn, but after Qxd4 Black must play ...Nf6 and ...Be7 carefully, since White castles long fast.
- In the ...Bc5 line, ...d5 and ...Be6 give back material to keep the pieces active.
Plans and pawn structure
White is a pawn down but ahead in development, so the plan is pressure: queen to d4 or e2, knights to c3 and f3, bishops to c4 and g5, and the rooks on the d- and e-files. Black wants to castle short and return a pawn when needed. If Black gets the king safe with ...Be7 and O-O, the game often settles into a calm position where White has activity and Black has material.
What the engine plays from here
Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.29: level. Its three top choices for Black:
- −0.29 4...Bb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.bxc3 d5 7.exd5
- −0.27 4...Nxe4 5.Qxd4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Bg5
- −0.08 4...Bc5 5.e5 d5 6.exf6 dxc4 7.Qe2+
Pawns, from White's side.
How it scores on lichess
684 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 55.8%.
Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.
Where it goes next
- Urusov Gambit, Keidansky Gambit4...Nxe4 · rare
- Urusov Gambit, Panov Variation4...d5 · rare
How to play against it
As Black, choose ...Bb4+ if you want a simple game: c3, ...dxc3 and ...d5 lead to open play with roughly even chances. If you take on e4, be ready for Qxd4, Bg5 and long castling. Avoid passive moves like ...d6, which let White win back d4 with a big lead in development.
Questions
What are the moves of the Bishop's Opening: Urusov Gambit?
The Bishop's Opening: Urusov Gambit starts 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3. Its ECO code is C43.
Is the Bishop's Opening: Urusov Gambit good for White?
Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.29 at depth 20, which is level. In 684 lichess games from our sample, White scored 55.8%. An enjoyable gambit for White players who like initiative; Black needs to know which pawn to return and when.
What is the main idea of the Bishop's Opening: Urusov Gambit?
White leaves the d4 pawn and develops quickly, aiming for Qxd4, long castling and pressure on the open files. Black should return material at the right time, often with ...Bb4+ and ...d5.
What should Black play next?
The engine's first choice is Bb4+, with Nxe4 and Bc5 close behind. 4...Bb4+ forces c3 and opens lines so Black can return the pawn with ...d5 and finish development.
Related lines
Updated October 2026. Sources and method.