ECO C40 · King's Pawn Game

King's Pawn Game: La Bourdonnais Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6 3. Bc4 Qg6 4. O-O

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

4… d6+0.95

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the King's Pawn Game: La Bourdonnais Gambit (C40), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6 3. Bc4 Qg6 4. O-O, Stockfish 18 recommends 4… d6 for Black. White is clearly better (+0.95).

Top engine moves

  1. +0.954… d6 5. d4 Nc6 6. Ng5 Nh6 7. d5 Be7 8. dxc6 Bxg5 9. Bd5
  2. +1.014… Nc6 5. d4 d6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Re1 Nf6 8. Nd5 Nxd5 9. exd5
  3. +1.784… Bd6 5. d4 Nc6 6. Bd3 Qh5 7. c3 Nf6 8. Nbd2 Be7 9. Nxe5

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the King's Pawn Game: La Bourdonnais Gambit?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6 3. Bc4 Qg6 4. O-O, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 4… d6 for Black, continuing 5. d4 Nc6 6. Ng5 Nh6 7. d5 Be7 8. dxc6 Bxg5 9. Bd5. White is clearly better (+0.95). The next best moves are 4… Nc6 (+1.01) and 4… Bd6 (+1.78).
Is the King's Pawn Game: La Bourdonnais Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +0.95: 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 King's Pawn Game: La Bourdonnais Gambit?
C40. 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+).