Chess Openings Lab
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King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky Gambit

The Kieseritzky Gambit is 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5, where White undermines the g5 pawn and then jumps the knight forward instead of retreating. White wants to win back the g4 or f4 pawn and hit f7, while Black hunts the advanced knight and counterattacks e4.

Moves
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5
ECO
C39
Engine
−0.84 · a clear edge for Black (Stockfish 17.1, depth 20)
Played
476 games in our lichess sample
White scores
54.5%

Key ideas for both sides

White

  • Capture on g4 with the knight when it is safe, as in 6.Nxg4, regaining the pawn and opening the h-file.
  • Play d4 to protect the e5 knight and open the c1 bishop toward f4.
  • After ...Nf6 and ...Nxe4, the engine line answers with Nd3 and Bxf4, winning back the f4 pawn.
  • Watch the h4 pawn: after ...Be7 the bishop can take on h4 with check, so a knight on f2 may be needed.

Black

  • 5...Nf6 is the engine choice. It attacks e4 and prepares ...d6 to kick the e5 knight back.
  • Use ...d6 to push the knight off e5, then decide whether the g4 pawn is worth keeping.
  • The g4 pawn blocks the f3 square, so White's knight has no comfortable retreat. Use that to gain time.
  • Consider ...Qe7, hitting e4 and the e5 knight, but check the queen trade lines before you go for it.

Plans and pawn structure

The knight on e5 is White's best piece and also its biggest worry. Black tries to dislodge it with ...d6 and to grab e4 with ...Nf6xe4. White tries to support it with d4, then cash in on g4 or f4 and develop quickly with Bxf4 and Nc3. If White regains a pawn and keeps the center, the king on e1 is less of a problem. If Black wins e4 and keeps the f4 pawn, White ends up with a loose king and nothing to show for it.

What the engine plays from here

Stockfish 17.1 at depth 20 rates the position −0.84: a clear edge for Black. Its three top choices for Black:

  1. −0.84 5...Nf6 6.d4 d6 7.Nd3 Nxe4 8.Bxf4
  2. −0.55 5...d6 6.Nxg4 Be7 7.d4 Bxh4+ 8.Nf2
  3. −0.31 5...Qe7 6.d4 d6 7.Nxg4 Qxe4+ 8.Qe2

Pawns, from White's side.

How it scores on lichess

476 rated lichess games reached this position; White scored 54.5%.

1200–159957.2%
1600–199954.7%
2000 and up51.0%

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

Where it goes next

  • Kieseritzky Gambit, Anderssen-Cordel Gambit5...Nf6 · rare
  • Kieseritzky Gambit, Brentano Defense, Caro Variation5...d5 · rare
  • Kieseritzky Gambit, Kolisch Defense5...d6 · rare
  • Kieseritzky, Long Whip Defense, Jaenisch Variation5...h5 · rare
  • Kieseritzky Gambit, Neumann Defense5...Nc6 · rare
  • Kieseritzky Gambit, Paulsen Defense5...Bg7 · rare

How to play against it

As Black, answer 5.Ne5 with ...Nf6 and follow with ...d6. Do not spend time defending the g4 pawn at all costs; central counterplay against e4 matters more. Keep the bishop ready for ...Bg7 or ...Be7 with ideas on h4. Avoid ...h5 lines unless you know them, since they cost time.

Questions

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

The King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky Gambit starts 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5. Its ECO code is C39.

Is the King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky Gambit good for White?

Stockfish 17.1 rates the position −0.84 at depth 20, which is a clear edge for Black. In 476 lichess games from our sample, White scored 54.5%. Good for White players who like concrete tactical fights, but Black's ...Nf6 and ...d6 plan gives a solid edge if you know it.

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

White breaks up Black's g-pawns with h4 and puts the knight on e5, aiming at g4, f7 and d7. Black fights back with ...Nf6 and ...d6, hitting e4 and chasing the knight away.

What should Black play next?

The engine's first choice is Nf6, with d6 and Qe7 close behind. 5...Nf6 attacks e4 at once and prepares ...d6, so White's knight never settles on e5.

Updated October 2026. Sources and method.