Chess Openings Lab
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King's Gambit Accepted: Cunningham Defense

The Cunningham Defense is 3.Nf3 Be7, where Black prepares ...Bh4+ to force the king to move or weaken the kingside. White answers with Bc4 or Be2 to keep things safe, while Black aims for ...Nf6 and ...d5 to open lines.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7
ECO
C35
Engine
−0.32 · a slight edge for Black (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
2,317 games in our lichess sample
White scores
50.2%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Play Bc4 to develop, and answer a later ...Bh4+ with Kf1, keeping the kingside pawns intact.
  • Use Be2 to cover the h5 to e1 diagonal and keep the king safe at home.
  • Avoid 4.Nc3, which allows ...Bh4+ and forces the clumsy Ke2.
  • After ...Nf6, push e5 to drive the knight to g4, then castle and play h3.

Black

  • Check with ...Bh4+ if White plays carelessly, forcing the king to move.
  • Develop with ...Nf6 and ...d5 to open the center while White's king is still unsettled.
  • Use ...Ng4 after e5 to hit the e5 pawn and the f2 square.
  • Castle quickly and use the f4 pawn to cramp White's kingside pieces.

Plans and pawn structure

After 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 Ng4 6.O-O O-O 7.h3 d5 the center opens and Black returns the pawn for activity. White develops with d4 and Bxf4 and looks for play on the f-file. Black uses the g4 knight, which retreats to h6, and the f4 pawn to pressure White's kingside. If White plays Be2 instead, Black keeps the pawn with ...d6 and ...g5.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.32: a slight edge for Black. Its three top choices for White:

  1. −0.32 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 Ng4 6.O-O O-O
  2. −0.38 4.Be2 d6 5.d4 g5 6.Nc3 Nc6
  3. −0.56 4.Nc3 Bh4+ 5.Ke2 d5 6.Nxd5 Bg4

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

2,317 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 50.2%.

under 120042.6%
1200–159952.7%
1600–199949.8%
2000 and up47.6%

Light: White wins. Grey: draws. Dark: Black wins. About the sample.

Where it goes next

  • Cunningham Defense, Bertin Gambit4.Bc4 · rare

How to play against it

As White, play 4.Bc4 or 4.Be2 and develop quickly. Don't play 4.Nc3, since ...Bh4+ forces the king to e2. Castle soon and break with e5 or d4. Once your king is safe, the f4 pawn becomes a target for Bxf4 and the rook on f1.

Questions

What are the moves of the King's Gambit Accepted: Cunningham Defense?

The King's Gambit Accepted: Cunningham Defense starts 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7. Its ECO code is C35.

Is the King's Gambit Accepted: Cunningham Defense good for Black?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.32 at depth 20, which is a slight edge for Black. In 2,317 lichess games from our sample, White scored 50.2%. A tricky choice for Black that punishes careless White play, but sound development keeps White comfortable.

What is the main idea of the King's Gambit Accepted: Cunningham Defense?

Black plays ...Be7 to threaten ...Bh4+, disrupting White's king. White develops with Bc4 or Be2 and castles, and Black plays ...Nf6 and ...d5 to open lines.

What should White play next?

The engine's first choice is Bc4, with Be2 and Nc3 close behind. 4.Bc4 develops and keeps Kf1 available after ...Bh4+.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.