King's Gambit Accepted: Cunningham & McCormick
King ‘s Gambit Accepted: Cunningham Defense
Definition
The Cunningham Defense is a sharp reply to the King’s Gambit Accepted that appears after the moves:
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Be7
Black’s early …Be7 prepares the disruptive check …Bh4+, forcing White to weaken the kingside with g2–g3. ECO classifies the line as C35.
How it is used
- Black immediately develops a minor piece while discouraging White’s natural 4.d4-e5 space-grab (because the e-pawn would hang).
- The latent idea …Bh4+ followed by …fxg3 creates structural damage and tries to keep White’s king in the centre.
- White normally answers 4.Bc4, both defending the f1–a6 diagonal and eyeing f7.
Strategic themes
- King safety vs. activity. Black concedes the f-pawn but aims for rapid piece play and a direct assault on the weakened white king.
- Pawn structure. After 4.Bc4 Bh4+ 5.g3 fxg3, the doubled g-pawns give Black concrete targets, yet White gains the half-open h-file for counter-pressure.
- Piece coordination. White often castles long to keep the rook on h1 active; Black may leave the king in the centre until the position clarifies.
Typical continuation
One of the most common main lines runs:
Black returns the extra pawn with 11…d5 to accelerate development, while White relies on central space and the open h-file for attack.
Historical notes
- Named after the Scottish-born mathematician and clergyman Alexander Cunningham (1655-1730), who analysed the line in correspondence with fellow theoreticians of his day.
- A favourite weapon of early romantic masters such as Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky, it later resurfaced in the computers-vs-humans era when engines valued Black’s dynamic chances highly.
- Grandmasters Nigel Short and Alexei Fedorov still employ it occasionally as a surprise weapon in rapid events.
Illustrative game
Anderssen – Mayet, Berlin 1851
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7 4.Bc4 Bh4+ 5.g3 fxg3 6.O-O d5 7.exd5 gxh2+ 8.Kh1 Bf6 9.d4 … 0-1
White’s king side collapsed and Black’s h-pawn queened on move 20.
Interesting facts
- The move 3…Be7 is surprisingly modern: many engines now rank it above the once-automatic 3…g5.
- In blitz, some players call 4.Bc4 Bh4+ 5.g3 fxg3 the “Swiss Cheese” structure because of the holes around both kings.
King ‘s Gambit Accepted: McCormick Defense
Definition
The McCormick Defense is a sub-variation of the Cunningham that arises after Black immediately counter-strikes in the centre with …d5, giving back the f-pawn for fast development. A typical move-order is:
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Be7 4. Bc4 Bh4+ 5. g3 fxg3 6. O-O d5
From the same starting position (C35), the branch 6…d5 is labelled “McCormick” in several modern databases.
Origins and naming
The line is attributed to the American master Edward (Ned) McCormick, who analysed it in the mid-20th century while preparing secret novelties for correspondence play. It first appeared in over-the-board tournament practice at the 1964 U.S. Open.
Strategic ideas
- Central counter-punch. By breaking with …d5, Black opens lines for both bishops and challenges White’s grip on the light squares.
- Pawn sacrifice. After 7.exd5, Black’s initiative includes …gxh2+, …Nf6, and pressure down the g-file; if White declines, the queen’s bishop may develop to g4 or h3.
- Imbalanced king positions. White has already castled short, but the g-file is half-open; Black often castles long or keeps the king on e8-f8, banking on piece activity for safety.
Typical continuations
- 7.exd5 Nf6 8.Nxh4 gxh2+ – Black regains the pawn with interest and keeps the attack alive.
- 7.Bxd5 Nf6 8.Nc3 – White refuses the pawn and aims for rapid development, but the light-squared bishop may become a target after …c6.
Practical evaluation
Modern engines give the position a slight edge to White (+0.3 to +0.6) but only with best play. In practical terms, the complications, material imbalance, and king-safety issues mean that either side can win quickly if the opponent hesitates.
Notable game
H. Levy – E. McCormick, U.S. Open 1964
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7 4.Bc4 Bh4+ 5.g3 fxg3 6.O-O d5 7.exd5 gxh2+ 8.Kh1 Bg4 9.d4 Nf6 10.Nc3 O-O ½-½
A wild middlegame ended in perpetual check after both kings became exposed.
Interesting facts
- In some database headers the notation “McCormick Defense” is replaced by “McCormick Gambit” because Black voluntarily sacrifices the f-pawn again after recovering it on move 5.
- The move 6…d5 can be sprung from many transpositions, so seasoned gambiteers keep it in reserve as a surprise weapon for blitz.
- Despite its rarity today, the variation scored over 60 % for Black in correspondence chess during the 1970s, when deep home analysis trumped over-the-board caution.