ECO C30 · King's Gambit Declined

King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Rubinstein Countergambit

1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 f5

abcdefgh87654321
White to move. The arrow shows Stockfish’s best move.
Best move

5. fxe5+0.33

White is slightly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Rubinstein Countergambit (C30), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 f5, Stockfish 18 recommends 5. fxe5 for White. White is slightly better (+0.33).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.335. fxe5 dxe5 6. d4 exd4 7. e5 dxc3 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nxc3 Ne7
  2. +0.185. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 fxe4 8. Bxb4 exf3 9. Qxf3 Nf6
  3. +0.155. exf5 Qe7 6. b4 Bb6 7. a4 a5 8. fxe5 axb4 9. a5 dxe5

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Rubinstein Countergambit?
After 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 f5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 5. fxe5 for White, continuing dxe5 6. d4 exd4 7. e5 dxc3 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Nxc3 Ne7. White is slightly better (+0.33). The next best moves are 5. d4 (+0.18) and 5. exf5 (+0.15).
Is the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Rubinstein Countergambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.33: white 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 Declined: Classical Variation, Rubinstein Countergambit?
C30. 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+).