ECO C27 · Bishop's Opening

Bishop's Opening: Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3

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

4… Nxc3−0.51

Black is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Bishop's Opening: Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit (C27), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3, Stockfish 18 recommends 4… Nxc3 for Black. Black is slightly better (−0.51).

Top engine moves

  1. −0.514… Nxc3 5. dxc3 f6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Re1 d6 8. a4 Ne7 9. b4
  2. −0.164… Nc6 5. Nxe4 d5 6. Bd3 dxe4 7. Bxe4 Nb4 8. a3 f5 9. Bxf5
  3. +0.114… Nf6 5. Nxe5 d5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. O-O c6 8. d4 Nbd7 9. f4

Variations

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Bishop's Opening: Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4… Nxc3 for Black, continuing 5. dxc3 f6 6. O-O Nc6 7. Re1 d6 8. a4 Ne7 9. b4. Black is slightly better (−0.51). The next best moves are 4… Nc6 (−0.16) and 4… Nf6 (+0.11).
Is the Bishop's Opening: Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −0.51: black is slightly 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 Bishop's Opening: Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit?
C27. ECO codes classify chess openings from A00 to E99; C is the volume for open games and the French Defense.

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