Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. f4/2...exf4/3. Nf3/3...Be7

King's Gambit, Cunningham-Euwe Variation
a b c d e f g h
8a8 black rookb8 black knightc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black kingg8 black knighth8 black rook8
7a7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawne7 black bishopf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawn7
6a6 black kingb6 black kingc6 black kingd6 black kinge6 black kingf6 black kingg6 black kingh6 black king6
5a5 black kingb5 black kingc5 black kingd5 black kinge5 black kingf5 black kingg5 black kingh5 black king5
4a4 black kingb4 black kingc4 black kingd4 black kinge4 white pawnf4 black pawng4 black kingh4 black king4
3a3 black kingb3 black kingc3 black kingd3 black kinge3 black kingf3 white knightg3 black kingh3 black king3
2a2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawne2 black kingf2 black kingg2 white pawnh2 white pawn2
1a1 white rookb1 white knightc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingf1 white bishopg1 black kingh1 white rook1
a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)
Moves: 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Be7

Cunningham-Euwe Variation

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While White's 3.Nf3 prevented the check on h4, Black's third move renews the threat and develops. Here White doesn't have a promising way to stop the check on h4, as 4.g3?! fxg3 5.hxg3 Nf6 saddles White with a weak isolated pawn on g3, and the semi-open h-file cannot be effectively used. If he tries h4?! Nf6, he creates all sorts of weaknesses down the g-file, and further delays his development. He has two main continuations: 4.Bc4 and 4.Nc3, while d4!?, gaining central space, freeing d2 for the king, and preparing to round up f4 with Bxf4, may be playable as well. 4.Bc4 is the main line, clearing f1 for the White king to move to and eyeing a possible attack on f7. 4.Nc3, however, is also good, with simple development.

Theory table

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For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7

4 5 6 7
Bc4
Nf6
e5
Ng4
O-O
Nc6
d4
d5
=
Nc3
Bh4+
Ke2
d5
Nxd5
Nf6
Nxf6+
Qxf6

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References

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de Firmian, Nick. Modern Chess Openings, 15th edition. New York, NY: Random House, 2008.