ECO C39 · King's Gambit Accepted

King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky Gambit, Rice Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. O-O Bxe5

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

9. d4−1.21

Black is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky Gambit, Rice Gambit (C39), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. O-O Bxe5, Stockfish 18 recommends 9. d4 for White. Black is clearly better (−1.21).

Top engine moves

  1. −1.219. d4 Bd6 10. Bxf4 Bxf4 11. Qe1+ Qe7 12. Qxe7+ Kxe7 13. Rxf4 Ne8
  2. −1.519. Re1 Qe7 10. c3 Nh5 11. d4 Nd7 12. Qxg4 Ndf6 13. Qxc8+ Rxc8
  3. −3.099. Bb5+ c6 10. d4 Bc7 11. Qe2+ Qe7 12. Qxe7+ Kxe7 13. dxc6 bxc6

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky Gambit, Rice Gambit?
After 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Bc4 d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. O-O Bxe5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 9. d4 for White, continuing Bd6 10. Bxf4 Bxf4 11. Qe1+ Qe7 12. Qxe7+ Kxe7 13. Rxf4 Ne8. Black is clearly better (−1.21). The next best moves are 9. Re1 (−1.51) and 9. Bb5+ (−3.09).
Is the King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky Gambit, Rice Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −1.21: 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 King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky Gambit, Rice Gambit?
C39. 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+).