Kings Gambit Accepted: Allgaier & Urusov Attack
King’s Gambit Accepted (KGA)
Definition
The King’s Gambit Accepted is an opening that begins with the moves 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4. White offers the f-pawn to gain rapid development and open the f-file toward Black’s king; Black “accepts” the gambit by capturing on f4. The ECO codes most often associated with the KGA are C33–C39.
Typical Move Order
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 — after the pawn capture the main branches diverge quickly:
- 3. Nf3 – King’s Knight (main) variation
- 3. Bc4 – Bishop’s Gambit
- 3. d4 – Schlechter (or Mason) variation
- 3. h4, 3. Nc3, and many other sidelines
Strategic Themes
- Initiative vs. Material: White sacrifices a pawn for time and attacking chances.
- Open f-file: White often castles kingside artificially (Kf2–Rg1) and uses Rf1 to bear down on f7.
- King Safety: Both monarchs can become exposed; many lines feature opposite-side castling or kings marooned in the center.
- Central Tension: d2–d4 and c2–c3 are typical pawn breaks that try to undermine Black’s center and liberate White’s pieces.
Historical Significance
The King’s Gambit was the fashionable opening of the 19th century romantic era. Paul Morphy, Adolf Anderssen, and Henry Blackburne used it to create some of the most dazzling games ever played. Its popularity waned after Wilhelm Steinitz introduced more positional ideas, and further declined in the 20th century when analyses by Fischer, Bronstein, and the computer age cast doubts on its soundness. Yet the opening remains an effective surprise weapon and a staple of chess literature.
Illustrative Game
The clip is the famous “Immortal Line” in the Allgaier Gambit (see below), ending with White’s queen invasion on h8.
Interesting Facts
- Bobby Fischer penned the article “A Bust to the King’s Gambit” (1961), advocating 3…d6! against 3.Nf3. Ironically, Fischer later played (and won) the KGA as White against Spassky in their 1960 Mar del Plata clash.
- The earliest recorded KGA appears in Gioachino Greco’s manuscript (1620s).
- Garry Kasparov used the King’s Gambit to beat Veselin Topalov in a famous blitz game (Moscow, 1999).
Allgaier Gambit
Definition
The Allgaier Gambit is a sacrificial line within the King’s Knight variation of the KGA:
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ng5!?
Named after German theoretician Johann Baptist Allgaier (1763-1823), the gambit features an immediate knight sacrifice on g5 to rip open the h-file and launch a direct mating attack.
Strategic Ideas
- Knight Sacrifice: 5.Ng5 h6 6.Nxf7! breaks up Black’s kingside.
- Open Files & Diagonals: After Nxf7, White’s queen, bishops, and rook on h1 (often swinging to f1 or g1) aim at f7 and h6.
- Tempo Matters: If Black survives the first wave, the extra minor piece often tells in the endgame, so speed is critical for White.
Critical Continuation
5…h6 6.Nxf7 Kxf7 7.d4!
The pawn thrust challenges the e5-square, freeing the c1-bishop and opening more lines. Modern engines suggest that precise defense gives Black fair chances, yet over the board the complications are fearsome.
Famous Example
Howard Staunton – Bernhard Horwitz, London 1846:
Staunton’s queen lands on h8, echoing the classic romantic motif.
Interesting Facts
- Allgaier himself recommended 5.Bc4 instead of 5.Ng5; the knight sacrifice was analyzed later by Alexander MacDonnell.
- The Allgaier Gambit is one of the earliest documented “speculative” piece sacrifices in opening theory.
- GM David Bronstein occasionally essayed the line in simultaneous exhibitions for its entertainment value.
Urusov Attack
Definition
The Urusov Attack (or Urusov Gambit) arises primarily from the Bishop’s Opening but can transpose from certain King’s Gambit lines. The canonical move order is:
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nf3
Named after 19th-century Russian master Prince Sergey Semyonovich Urusov, it offers a pawn for rapid development and powerful central pressure.
Relation to the King’s Gambit
If White begins with 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4, declining to recapture on f4, the game can transpose to Urusov-style positions after …Nf6 and d2-d4. Therefore older manuals sometimes catalog it as “King’s Gambit Accepted: Urusov Attack.”
Strategic Objectives
- Lead in Development: White’s pieces flow to c4, f3, c3, and the rooks enjoy open files after c2-c3 and e4-e5.
- King in the Center: Black often delays castling, making tactics on e- and f-files potent.
- Dynamic Equality: Modern engines rate the gambit objectively sound; Black must know precise moves to neutralize pressure.
Main Line Sample
White regains the pawn with Qxd4, keeps the initiative, and eyes sacrifices on f7 or along the a2–g8 diagonal.
Noteworthy Games
- Mikhail Chigorin – Emanuel Schiffers, St. Petersburg 1876: Chigorin displayed a model attacking win, finishing with a bishop sacrifice on f7.
- Alexander Khalifman – Miguel Illescas, Linares 1994: A modern GM-level encounter affirming the gambit’s viability.
Interesting Facts
- Prince Urusov was also a renowned mathematician and diplomat; his theoretical notes influenced Chigorin.
- GM Lev Alburt revived the gambit in the 1980s as part of his “Chess Openings for White, Explained” repertoire.
- Because many club players answer 2.Bc4 with 2…Nf6 automatically, the Urusov is an effective practical weapon.