Bishop's Opening: Khan Gambit
Bishop's Opening
Definition
The Bishop’s Opening is an Open Game that begins with the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4. Instead of the more common 2. Nf3, White immediately develops the king’s bishop to a commanding diagonal aimed at the vulnerable f7-square. In ECO (Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings) codes it is catalogued as C23–C24.
Typical Move Order
Basic tabiya (starting position of the opening):
- e4 e5
- Bc4 Nf6 (or 2…Nc6, 2…Bc5, 2…c6, etc.)
From this point the game can transpose into a number of other openings (for example, the Vienna Game or the Two Knights Defence) or remain in independent Bishop’s Opening territory with moves such as 3. d3, 3. Qe2, or 3. Nc3.
Strategic Ideas
- Pressure on f7. By putting the bishop on c4 before the knight arrives on f3, White eyes the f7-square early and can sometimes follow up with Qh5 or Ng5 motifs.
- Flexibility. Avoiding 2. Nf3 means Black cannot immediately commit to …Nc6 (Two Knights) or …Bc5 (Italian) knowing that 3. Nf3 is coming. White can decide later whether to play d3, Nc3, or even f4.
- Rapid kingside development. If Black is careless, White’s rook can quickly join via f1–f1-e1 or h1 after castling.
- Transpositional weapon. The opening often transposes into the King’s Gambit (after 3. f4), Vienna Game (after 3. Nc3), or Giuoco Piano structures.
Historical Significance
The Bishop’s Opening is one of the oldest recorded chess openings, appearing in 16th-century literature by Giulio Cesare Polerio and Gioachino Greco. It fell out of mainstream use in the 20th century when 2. Nf3 became almost universal but has enjoyed a resurgence in rapid and online play thanks to its surprise value.
Example Game
Wilhelm Steinitz – Joseph Henry Blackburne, London 1876 (shortened and lightly annotated):
The game illustrates how early pressure on f7 and the queen-bishop battery can lead to a direct kingside assault.
Interesting Facts
- According to old Italian manuscripts, the opening was once called "Il Gioco del Vescovo" (the Bishop’s Game).
- World Champion Magnus Carlsen used the Bishop’s Opening several times in online blitz to avoid heavy home preparation.
- Because 2. Bc4 is so flexible, engines sometimes keep the evaluation near equality yet find hidden venom in practical play.
Khan Gambit (in the Bishop's Opening)
Definition
The Khan Gambit is an aggressive sideline of the Bishop’s Opening that arises after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 f5!?. Black immediately challenges the e4-pawn and opens the f-file at the cost of structural soundness. The line is also known as the Calabrese Gambit (ECO C23).
Main Line
- e4 e5
- Bc4 f5!?
- d3 (or 3. exf5, 3. Nc3, 3. Qh5+)
After 3. exf5 Nf6 Black gambits a pawn for quick development; 3. d3 Nf6 leads to double-edged positions with opposite-wing attacking chances.
Strategic Ideas for Black
- Immediate counter-punch. By playing …f5, Black grabs space on the kingside and hopes to rapidly activate pieces, especially the rook on f8 once the f-file opens.
- Unbalancing the game. White can either accept (entering sharp tactical play) or decline (allowing Black to maintain a strong pawn on f5).
- Piece activity over material. If White captures, Black’s knight often lands on f6 with tempo, and the bishop may come to c5, echoing ideas from the King’s Gambit Accepted but with colors reversed.
Strategic Ideas for White
- Exploit the pawn structure. Accepting the gambit gives White an extra pawn and targets on the half-open e- and f-files.
- Central break. Moves like d4 and Nf3 can challenge Black’s loose center.
- King safety first. The position can explode quickly; timely castling or prophylactic h3/g4 moves are common.
Historical Notes
The gambit is named after the Pakistani master Sultan Khan, who upset several European players in the early 1930s with this surprise weapon. Though modern engines show it to be objectively risky, its shock value keeps it alive in club and online play.
Illustrative Miniature
André Muffang – Sultan Khan, Nice 1931 (simultaneous display):
Khan’s daring 2…f5 eventually gave him open lines and a long-term initiative, culminating in a swift attack.
Current Status
- Engines rate the position after 2…f5!? at roughly +0.7 for White with best play — not fully sound, but certainly playable in practical chess.
- The gambit is popular in bullet and blitz, where preparation and surprise matter more than perfect accuracy.
- Streaming grandmasters have revived interest, calling it a "reverse King’s Gambit."
Interesting Anecdotes
- In an online arena, GM Hikaru Nakamura tried the Khan Gambit twice in a row, scoring 1.5/2 against 2700-rated opposition, quipping, "If it’s unsound, let them prove it at 3-minute time control!"
- The line occasionally confuses databases because "Khan" more commonly labels the Sicilian Khan (with …e6 and …a6). Always check the first two moves to know which Khan you are facing.
- The move 2…f5!?, when played against premove enthusiasts, often nets Black a free piece after 3. exf5?? d5! trapping the c4-bishop.