ECO A03 · Bird Opening

Bird Opening: Williams Gambit

1. f4 d5 2. e4

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Black to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

2… dxe4−1.47

Black is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Bird Opening: Williams Gambit (A03), reached after 1. f4 d5 2. e4, Stockfish 18 recommends 2… dxe4 for Black. Black is clearly better (−1.47).

Top engine moves

  1. −1.472… dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d3 Bf5 5. Nge2 Nc6 6. Ng3 Bg4 7. Qd2
  2. −0.482… e5 3. exd5 exf4 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. c4 c6 6. d4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3
  3. −0.122… e6 3. d3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nh6 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O dxe4 7. dxe4

Other move orders

  • 1. f4 d5 2. e4 dxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Qe2

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Bird Opening: Williams Gambit?
After 1. f4 d5 2. e4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 2… dxe4 for Black, continuing 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d3 Bf5 5. Nge2 Nc6 6. Ng3 Bg4 7. Qd2. Black is clearly better (−1.47). The next best moves are 2… e5 (−0.48) and 2… e6 (−0.12).
Is the Bird Opening: Williams Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −1.47: black is clearly better. Evaluations this early in the game are small, so practical results depend far more on knowing the plans and typical structures than on the engine's number.
What is the ECO code of the Bird Opening: Williams Gambit?
A03. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; A is the volume for flank openings.

Opening names from the Lichess opening book (CC0). Pieces by Colin M.L. Burnett (GPLv2+).