ECO C26 · Bishop's Opening

Bishop's Opening: Horwitz Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nc3 b5

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

4. Bxb5+1.14

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the Bishop's Opening: Horwitz Gambit (C26), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nc3 b5, Stockfish 18 recommends 4. Bxb5 for White. White is clearly better (+1.14).

Top engine moves

  1. +1.144. Bxb5 c6 5. Ba4 Qa5 6. Bb3 d5 7. Nf3 Ba6 8. exd5 e4
  2. +0.514. Nxb5 c6 5. Nc3 d5 6. exd5 cxd5 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Nf3 Bxb5
  3. +0.174. Bb3 a5 5. a4 b4 6. Nd5 Nxd5 7. Bxd5 c6 8. Bb3 Be7

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the Bishop's Opening: Horwitz Gambit?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nc3 b5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4. Bxb5 for White, continuing c6 5. Ba4 Qa5 6. Bb3 d5 7. Nf3 Ba6 8. exd5 e4. White is clearly better (+1.14). The next best moves are 4. Nxb5 (+0.51) and 4. Bb3 (+0.17).
Is the Bishop's Opening: Horwitz Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +1.14: white 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 Bishop's Opening: Horwitz Gambit?
C26. 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+).