ECO C33 · King's Gambit Accepted

King's Gambit Accepted: Mason-Keres Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nc3

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

3… Qh4+−0.60

Black is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the King's Gambit Accepted: Mason-Keres Gambit (C33), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nc3, Stockfish 18 recommends 3… Qh4+ for Black. Black is slightly better (−0.60).

Top engine moves

  1. −0.603… Qh4+ 4. Ke2 Qe7 5. Kf2 Nf6 6. Nf3 g5 7. d4 d6 8. h4
  2. −0.563… Nc6 4. Nf3 g5 5. g3 Nf6 6. d4 d5 7. Nxg5 Bg4 8. Be2
  3. −0.183… d5 4. Nxd5 Qh4+ 5. Ke2 Bg4+ 6. Nf3 Bd6 7. d4 Nc6 8. Kd3

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the King's Gambit Accepted: Mason-Keres Gambit?
After 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nc3, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 3… Qh4+ for Black, continuing 4. Ke2 Qe7 5. Kf2 Nf6 6. Nf3 g5 7. d4 d6 8. h4. Black is slightly better (−0.60). The next best moves are 3… Nc6 (−0.56) and 3… d5 (−0.18).
Is the King's Gambit Accepted: Mason-Keres Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at −0.60: 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 King's Gambit Accepted: Mason-Keres Gambit?
C33. 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+).