ECO C40 · King's Pawn Game

King's Pawn Game: McConnell Defense

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6

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

3. Nc3+1.17

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the King's Pawn Game: McConnell Defense (C40), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6, Stockfish 18 recommends 3. Nc3 for White. White is clearly better (+1.17).

Top engine moves

  1. +1.173. Nc3 d6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Qd8 6. Qf3 Nc6 7. Bb5 Bd7
  2. +1.013. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 d6 5. d4 Bb6 6. a4 a5 7. dxe5 dxe5
  3. +0.803. c3 Qg6 4. d4 d6 5. Bd3 Qxg2 6. Rg1 Qh3 7. Bc4 Qd7

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the King's Pawn Game: McConnell Defense?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Qf6, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 3. Nc3 for White, continuing d6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Qd8 6. Qf3 Nc6 7. Bb5 Bd7. White is clearly better (+1.17). The next best moves are 3. Bc4 (+1.01) and 3. c3 (+0.80).
Is the King's Pawn Game: McConnell Defense a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +1.17: 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: McConnell Defense?
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+).