King's Gambit Accepted (KGA): Cunningham & Bertin
King’s Gambit Accepted (KGA)
Definition
The King’s Gambit begins with 1. e4 e5 2. f4, where White offers the f-pawn to open lines toward the centre and Black’s king. If Black captures the pawn with 2…exf4, the gambit is said to be accepted, and the position is classified by ECO codes C33–C39.
Typical Move-Order & Key Ideas
A “classical” starting sequence is:
- e4 e5
- f4 exf4
- Nf3 g5 (or 3…d6 / 3…Be7 / 3…Nc6, etc.)
- White’s aims: seizing the centre with d2–d4, rapid development (Bc4, 0-0), and an attack on f7.
- Black’s aims: consolidate the extra pawn, blunt the f-file (…g5–g4), and counter in the centre with …d5 or …d6.
Strategic & Historical Significance
The KGA is one of the oldest recorded openings, appearing in 16th-century manuscripts of Lucena and Greco. Throughout the Romantic Era (19th c.) it epitomised sacrificial, open play. Although top-level usage declined after the hyper-modern revolution, it remains a dangerous surprise weapon and a favourite in online blitz.
Illustrative Examples
- The Immortal Game – Anderssen vs Kieseritzky, London 1851: a dazzling illustration of the attacking potential after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Qh4+ 4.Kf1 b5?! culminating in a queen sacrifice and mate.
- Short vs. Kasparov, Terrassa 1987: Kasparov defends the KGA with modern accuracy, showing how …d5 and rapid development can neutralise White’s initiative.
An easy-to-follow skeleton of the thematic Kieseritzky Gambit is embedded below:
Trivia & Anecdotes
- Wilhelm Steinitz dismissed the gambit as “unsound,” yet later admitted it was “not to be refuted.”
- The opening’s romantic aura led Bobby Fischer to publish an article titled “A Bust to the King’s Gambit,” advocating 3…d6—yet even he tried the white side in serious play after writing the article.
Cunningham (King’s Gambit Accepted, Cunningham Variation)
Definition
The Cunningham begins after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Be7. Black immediately prepares the check …Bh4+, forcing White’s king to move and disrupting castling rights.
Main Continuations
- e4 e5
- f4 exf4
- Nf3 Be7
- Bc4 Bh4+
- Kf1 …
From move 5, Black has two popular plans:
- Classical Line: 5…d5 6.exd5 Be7, freeing the bishop and contesting the centre.
- Modern Line: 5…Nf6, when 6.e5 d5 re-establishes the Cunningham’s central counterplay.
Strategic & Historical Notes
- Named after Rev. John Cunningham, who analysed the line in the 18th century.
- Unlike the more flamboyant 3…g5 systems, the Cunningham is positional: Black returns the extra pawn or allows it to remain weak in exchange for development and a semi-open f-file.
- Modern engines rate the variation as fully playable for Black, making it a solid antidote for players who dislike the hand-to-hand combat of the Kieseritzky or Muzio Gambits.
Illustrative Game
- Fischer vs Spassky, Mar del Plata 1960: Fischer (White) tried 5.Nc3 instead of 5.Kf1, but Spassky’s precise defence with …Bh4+ and …d5 equalised comfortably and Black later won.
Interesting Facts
- The early …Be7-h4+ idea pre-figures the thematic Berlin Wall of the Ruy López, where Black forces White’s king to f1 as well.
- Because White usually plays Kf1, the rook on h1 can develop via h3 (the so-called “rook lift”), leading to rich, unbalanced middlegames.
Bertin Gambit (in the Cunningham Complex)
Definition
The Bertin Gambit is a sharp off-shoot of the Cunningham Variation characterised by the move 5.g3, willingly sacrificing further material to accelerate development:
- e4 e5
- f4 exf4
- Nf3 Be7
- Bc4 Bh4+
- g3 fxg3
- O-O …
After 6…Bf6 (or 6…Be7 / 6…d5) White is down two pawns and has lost castling rights, yet enjoys open files, a lead in development, and pressure on f7.
Usage & Typical Plans
- White counts on rapid mobilisation (d4, Nc3, Qe1-e4) and the half-open f- and g-files to attack Black’s king before material superiority tells.
- Black should return material via …d5 or …d6, complete development, and exploit White’s exposed king on g1.
Strategic & Historical Significance
The gambit is named after the 19th-century French analyst Jean-Louis Bertin, who advocated 5.g3 as an antidote to the Cunningham’s positional squeeze. Though never popular at the very top, it is a favourite in club and correspondence play because unprepared opponents can be swept away quickly.
Illustrative Example
One of the earliest model games is Hamppe – Meitner, Vienna 1870, where White’s rooks dominated the open lines and forced resignation in 25 moves. A modern high-level try was Nakamura vs. Aronian, Internet Blitz 2020, in which Black weathered the storm and converted the extra pawns in the endgame.
Trivia & Practical Tips
- Because 5.g3 deliberately invites 5…fxg3 with check, some authors joke that White is “paying two pawns for the price of one tempo.”
- Modern engines estimate the starting position of the Bertin Gambit at roughly –0.80 (for Black) — risky but not immediately losing.
- If Black declines the offer with 5…d5!?, the game can transpose back to main-line Cunningham positions, so both sides must remain flexible.