C31

King's Gambit Declined

1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5

The position after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5, White to move.

In the King's Gambit Declined, aim to understand the plans and pawn structures, not just memorize the first moves.

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The King's Gambit Declined is a chess opening classified under ECO code C31. It is reached after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5: 4 moves in, with White to play.

Learn its typical plans and pawn structures rather than memorizing moves — that’s what holds up over the board.

Dozens of named variations branch from this position; the list at the end of the page goes one move deeper into each.

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Variations of the King's Gambit Declined

Classical Variation1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3
Classical Variation, Euwe Attack1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 Bg4 5. fxe5 dxe5 6. Qa4+
Classical Variation, Rotlewi Countergambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. b4
Classical Variation, Rubinstein Countergambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 f5
Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Qh5
Classical, Hanham Variation1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 Nd7
Classical, Reti Variation1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. c3 f5 5. fxe5 dxe5 6. d4 exd4 7. Bc4
Classical, Soldatenkov Variation1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. fxe5
Classical, Svenonius Variation1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5 5. f4 d6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 exf4
Hobbs-Zilbermints Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 g5 4. fxg5 h6
Keene Defense1. e4 e5 2. f4 Qh4+ 3. g3 Qe7
Keene's Defense1. e4 e5 2. f4 Qh4+ 3. g3
Mafia Defense1. e4 c5 2. f4 e5
Miles Defense1. e4 e5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 f5
Norwalde Variation1. e4 e5 2. f4 Qf6
Norwalde Variation, Bucker Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 Qf6 3. Nc3 Qxf4 4. Nf3 Bb4 5. Bc4
Norwalde Variation, Schubert Variation1. e4 e5 2. f4 Qf6 3. Nc3 Qxf4 4. d4
Panteldakis Countergambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 f5
Panteldakis Countergambit, Greco Variation1. e4 e5 2. f4 f5 3. exf5 Qh4+
Panteldakis Countergambit, Pawn Sacrifice Line1. e4 e5 2. f4 f5 3. exf5 exf4 4. Qh5+ g6 5. fxg6 Qe7+ 6. Kd1
Panteldakis Countergambit, Schiller's Defense1. e4 e5 2. f4 f5 3. exf5 Bc5
Panteldakis Countergambit, Shirazi Line1. e4 e5 2. f4 f5 3. exf5 exf4 4. Qh5+ Ke7
Panteldakis Countergambit, Symmetrical Variation1. e4 e5 2. f4 f5 3. exf5 exf4 4. Nf3 d5 5. d4 Bd6 6. Bd3
Petrov's Defense1. e4 e5 2. f4 Nf6
Queen's Knight Defense1. e4 e5 2. f4 Nc6
Senechaud Countergambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 g5
Soller-Zilbermints Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 f6 3. fxe5 Nc6
Zilbermints Double Countergambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 g5
Zilbermints Double Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 g5
Falkbeer Countergambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5
Falkbeer Countergambit Accepted1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5
Falkbeer Countergambit, Anderssen Attack1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Bb5+
Falkbeer Countergambit, Blackburne Attack1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. Nf3
Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3
Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Morphy Defense1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. exd5 e4 5. d3 Bb4 6. Bd2 e3
Falkbeer Countergambit, Hinrichsen Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. d4
Falkbeer Countergambit, Miles Gambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 Bc5
Falkbeer Countergambit, Milner-Barry Variation1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. Nc3
Falkbeer Countergambit, Modern Transfer1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 exf4
Falkbeer Countergambit, Nimzowitsch-Marshall Countergambit1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 c6

Related openings

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