ECO C37 · King's Gambit Accepted

King's Gambit Accepted: Middleton Countergambit

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 d6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5 7. hxg4 hxg4

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

8. Nh2−1.47

Black is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the King's Gambit Accepted: Middleton Countergambit (C37), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 d6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5 7. hxg4 hxg4, Stockfish 18 recommends 8. Nh2 for White. Black is clearly better (−1.47).

Top engine moves

  1. −1.478. Nh2 g3 9. Ng4 Nc6 10. d4 Qe7 11. Nc3 O-O-O 12. Ne2 f5
  2. −1.538. c3 Qf6 9. Nxg5 Qxg5 10. d4 Qh4 11. Bxf4 g3 12. Bxf7+ Kd8
  3. −1.818. Ne1 g3 9. d4 Qf6 10. Rf3 Ne7 11. Nc3 Nbc6 12. Ne2 O-O-O

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the King's Gambit Accepted: Middleton Countergambit?
After 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 d6 5. O-O Bg4 6. h3 h5 7. hxg4 hxg4, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 8. Nh2 for White, continuing g3 9. Ng4 Nc6 10. d4 Qe7 11. Nc3 O-O-O 12. Ne2 f5. Black is clearly better (−1.47). The next best moves are 8. c3 (−1.53) and 8. Ne1 (−1.81).
Is the King's Gambit Accepted: Middleton Countergambit 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 King's Gambit Accepted: Middleton Countergambit?
C37. 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+).