The King's Gambit Proper AKA King's Knight's Gambit : The King's Gambit - Part 1

Welcome to the first part of the King's Gambit miniseries. This miniseries will consist of 9 lessons explaining the variations of this strategic chess opening. This first lesson (Part 1) will explain the King's Gambit Proper (also known as The King's Knight's Gambit) sequence.

THE KING'S GAMBIT.

This opening comprises every variety of the game in which the first player, after 1. P. to K's 4th has been played on both sides, commences the attack by moving 2. P. to K. B's 4th. Should the second player take this Pawn with his King's Pawn, he is said to accept the gambit.
This gambit has many modifications, the names appropriated to which will be found in their proper places in the following pages.

The King's Gambit Proper,
   or King's Knight's Gambit.

   GAME THE FIRST.

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. P. to K. B's 4th.	2. P. takes P.
3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	3. P. to K. Kt's 4th.
4. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.	4. B. to K. Kt's 2d. (best)
5. P. to Q's 4th.	5. P. to Q's 3d.
6. P. to Q. B's 3d.	6. P. to K. Kt's 5th. (best)
7. Kt. to his sq.	7. Q. to K. R's 5th. (ch.)
8. K. to B's sq.	8. K. B. to K. R's 3d.
9. Q. to her Kt's 3d.	9. Q. to K. R's 4th.

You can bring no Piece into action with advantage, while the field is all before him where to choose.


GAME THE SECOND.

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. P. to K. B's 4th.	2. P. takes P.
3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	3. P. to K. Kt's 4th.
4. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.	4. B. to K. Kt's 2d.
5. P. to K. R's 4th.	5. P. to K. R's 3d. (best)
6. P. to Q's 4th.	6. P. to Q's 3d.
7. P. to Q. B's 3d.	7. P. to K. Kt's 5th.
8. Q. B. takes P.	8. P. takes Kt.
9. Q. takes P.	9. Q. B. to K's 3d.
10. Q. Kt. to Q's 2d.	10. K. Kt. to K's 2d.
11. P. to K. R's 5th.	11. B. takes B.
12. Kt. takes B.	12. P. to Q. Kt's 4th.
13. Kt. to K's 3d.	13. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.

You have no adequate compensation for the Piece you are minus.


Variation I.

Beginning at White's 7th move.

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. P. to K. B's 4th.	2. P. takes P.
3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	3. P. to K. Kt's 4th.
4. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.	4. B. to K. Kt's 2d.
5. P. to K. R's 4th.	5. P. to K. R's 3d.
6. P. to Q's 4th.	6. P. to Q's 3d.
7. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.	7. P. to Q. B's 3d.
8. P. takes K. Kt. P.	8. P. takes P.
9. R. takes R.	9. B. takes R.
10. K. Kt. to K's 5th.	10. P. takes Kt.
11. Q. to K. R's 5th.	11. Q. to K. B's 3d.
12. P. takes K. P.	12. Q. to K. Kt's 2d.
13. P. to K's 6th.	13. B. takes P. (best)
14. B. takes B.	14. K. Kt. to B's 3d.
15. B. takes K. B. P. (ch.)	15. K. to his 2d.
16. Q. to K. Kt's 6th.	16. Q. takes B.
The advantage is all on Black's side.

GAME THE THIRD.

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. P. to K. B's 4th.	2. P. takes P.
3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	3. P. to K. Kt's 4th.
4. B. to Q. B's 4th.	4. B. to K. Kt's 2d.
5. Castles.	5. P. to Q's 3d. (best)
6. P. to Q's 4th.	6. P. to K. R's 3d.
7. P. to Q. B's 3d.	7. Q. B. to K's 3d.
8. B. takes B.	8. P. takes B.
9. Q. to her Kt's 3d.	9. Q. to her B's sq.
10. P. to K. R's 4th.	10. P. to K. Kt's 5th.
11. Kt. to K. R's 2d.	11. P. to K. Kt's 6th.
He has a Pawn more and a strong position.

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GAMES

ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE FOREGOING ANALYSES.

Game I.—Between V. H. der Laza and Dr. Bledow.

Dr. Ludwig Erdmann Bledow

WHITE.  (V. H. d. L.)	BLACK.  (Dr. B.)
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. P. to K. B's 4th.	2. P. takes P.
3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	3. P. to K. Kt's 4th.
4. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.	4. K. B. to Kt's 2d.
5. P. to Q's 4th.	5. Q. to K's 2d.[A]
6. Castles.	6. P. to K. R's 3d.
7. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.	7. P. to Q. B's 3d.
8. P. to K's 5th.	8. Q. to her Kt's 5th.
9. Q. Kt. to K's 4th.	9. K. B. to his sq.
10. Q. to K's 2d.[B]	10. P. to K. Kt's 5th.
11. Kt. to Q's 6th. (ch.)	11. B. takes Kt.
12. P. takes B. (disc. ch.)	12. K. to Q's sq.
13. Kt. to K's 5th.	13. R. to R's 2d.
14. P. to Q. B's 3d.	14. P. to K. B's 6th.
15. Q. to K's 4th.	15. K. Kt. to B's 3d.
16. Q. takes R.	16. Kt. takes Q.
And White gave checkmate in six moves.

[A] The proper move is 5. P. to Q's 3d.

[B] This little game is excellently played by White.

Game II.—Between V. H. der Laza and Mr. H. of Berlin.

Tassilo von Heydebrand und der Laza

WHITE.  (V. H. d. L.)	BLACK.  (Mr. H.)
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. P. to K. B's 4th.	2. P. takes P.
3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	3. P. to K. Kt's 4th.
4. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.	4. B. to K. Kt's 2d.
5. Castles.	5. P. to K. R's 3d.
6. P. to Q's 4th.	6. P. to Q's 3d.
7. P. to Q. B's 3d.	7. P. to Q. B's 3d.
8. Q. to her Kt's 3d.[A]	8. Q. to K's 2d.
9. P. to K. Kt's 3d.	9. P. to K. Kt's 5th.
10. Q. B. takes P.	10. P. takes Kt.
11. R. takes P.	11. Q. B. to K's 3d.
12. P. to Q's 5th.	12. Q. B. to K. Kt's 5th.
13. P. takes Q. B. P.	13. B. takes R.
14. P. takes Kt. P.	14. Q. takes K. P.
15. P. takes R. (becoming a Q.)	15. Q. takes Q.
16. B. takes K. B. P. (ch.)	16. K. to B's sq.
17. B. takes Kt.	17. R. takes B.
18. B. takes Q. P. (ch.)	18. K. to K's sq.
White mates in three moves.[B]

[A] Having now your Q. P. protected, and an opening for your Queen, you can advantageously advance the K. Kt's P., and sacrifice your Kt., as in the Muzio Gambit.

[B] A brilliant and amusing little skirmish.

Game III.—Between Mr. Popert and an eminent Polish player.

WHITE.  (Mr. Z.)	BLACK.  (Mr. P.)
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. P. to K. B's 4th.	2. P. takes P.
3. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	3. P. to K. Kt's 4th.
4. B. to Q. B's 4th.	4. B. to Q. Kt's 2d.
5. P. to Q's 4th.	5. P. to Q's 3d.
6. Castles.	6. P. to K. R's 3d.
7. P. to K. Kt's 3d.	7. P. to K's Kt's 5th.
8. K. Kt. to R's 4th.	8. P. to K. B's 6th.
9. Q. B. to K's 3d.	9. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.
10. P. to Q. B's 3d.	10. K. B. to B's 3d.
11. K. Kt. to K. B's 5th.	11. Q. B. takes Kt.
12. P. takes B.	12. K. Kt. to K's 2d.
13. Q. to her Kt's 3d.	13. P. to Q's 4th.
14. K. B. to Q's 3d.	14. Q. to her 2d.
15. Q. to her B's 2d.	15. P. to K. R's 4th.
16. Kt. to Q's 2d.	16. P. to K. R's 5th.
17. Q. B. to K. B's 4th.	17. Castles on Q's side.
18. P. to Q. R's 4th.	18. P. takes K. Kt. P.
19. Q. B. takes K. Kt's P.	19. K. R. to his 4th.
20. P. to Q. Kt's 4th.	20. K. Kt. takes K. B. P.
21. B. takes Kt.	21. Q. takes B.
22. Q. to her Kt's 2d.	22. B. to K. R's 5th.
23. B. takes B.	23. R. takes B.
24. P. to Q. R's 5th.	24. R. takes K. B. P.
25. K. takes R.
Black mates in three moves.

The next lesson will focus on The Cunningham Gambit as I continue with my 9 part series of the King's Gambit opening chess moves on the Learn to Play Chess blog.