ECO C20 · King's Pawn Game

King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, Mellon Gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nh6 4. d3 g6 5. Qf3 f6 6. Ne2 d5

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

7. Bxd5+1.49

White is clearly better. Stockfish 18, depth 18.

Analyze this position

In the King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, Mellon Gambit (C20), reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nh6 4. d3 g6 5. Qf3 f6 6. Ne2 d5, Stockfish 18 recommends 7. Bxd5 for White. White is clearly better (+1.49).

Top engine moves

  1. +1.497. Bxd5 Nb4 8. Bb3 Bg4 9. Qe3 a5 10. a3 a4 11. axb4 axb3
  2. +1.327. exd5 Nb4 8. Bb3 a5 9. Nbc3 Bg4 10. Qe4 Bd7 11. a3 a4
  3. +0.107. Bxh6 dxc4 8. Bxf8 cxd3 9. Bc5 b6 10. cxd3 bxc5 11. O-O O-O

Frequently asked questions

What is the best move in the King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, Mellon Gambit?
After 1. e4 e5 2. Qh5 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nh6 4. d3 g6 5. Qf3 f6 6. Ne2 d5, Stockfish 18 at depth 18 recommends 7. Bxd5 for White, continuing Nb4 8. Bb3 Bg4 9. Qe3 a5 10. a3 a4 11. axb4 axb3. White is clearly better (+1.49). The next best moves are 7. exd5 (+1.32) and 7. Bxh6 (+0.10).
Is the King's Pawn Game: Wayward Queen Attack, Mellon Gambit a good opening?
Stockfish rates the position at +1.49: 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: Wayward Queen Attack, Mellon Gambit?
C20. 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+).