Chessy
The Italian Game: Blackburne‑Kostić Gambit – Playing as Black after 4...Nxd4
You've just played the bold 4...Nd4 in the Italian Game, sacrificed a knight, and now White has taken it: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4. On the board is a messy, semi-open position where you have no knight but White has two. The engine says +1.24 — a clear edge for White. So you are a fair way worse, right? Not so fast. In 3.2 million real games Black actually wins 41.3% of the time, and White's most popular replies are all small mistakes. This page, built around the interactive drill below, shows you exactly why this gambit is trickier than the numbers suggest — and how to make White pay for taking your knight.
Play the Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić Gambit: Nxd4 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Now jump into the interactive drill below — play the Black side against the adapting engine and practise punishing White's mistakes. Create a free account to
Create a free account →What You're Fighting For – The d4‑Pawn
The whole point of the Blackburne‑Kostić Gambit is that knight you gave up on d4 was annoying White's centre, but now its ghost remains: a black pawn sitting on d4. That pawn cramps White's pieces, blocks the natural d2‑d3 or d2‑d4 break, and — most importantly — makes your opponent think twice about every developing move. If White wastes a tempo pushing it away or capturing it, you gain time to bring out your pieces and launch an attack. You are playing for counterplay against the white king, especially if White castles short. The engine may prefer White, but in practice many White players mishandle the extra material and get overrun on the kingside.
White's Best Move: O‑O (and What You Do About It)
Stockfish's top choice here is O‑O, followed by Nf6, Re1, and d6 — a calm, principled plan: castle, develop the knight, get the rook to the centre, and shore up the d5 square. Against this you need to play actively. Your plan is straightforward: develop your kingside quickly (…Nf6, …Be7 or …Bc5, …O‑O), aim a rook or queen at the e‑file, and use that d4‑pawn to restrict White's bishop on c1. Do not rush to capture on f2 — it's rarely there. Instead, build a little pressure and wait for White to misplace a piece. In the drill, the engine will play O‑O, and you'll practise keeping the tension while completing your development.
The Three Mistakes White Makes (and How to Punish Them)
Three of White's most played moves are subpar — and you need to know each one: - c3 – An inaccuracy. White tries to remove the d4‑pawn immediately, but this weakens the d3 square and loses about 0.6 pawns of advantage. Answer with …d5! challenging the centre, or …Nf6 and let the pawn stay. - Qf3 – Also an inaccuracy (‑0.6). White puts the queen on an aggressive diagonal early, but you can gain time with …Nf6 (attacking the queen) or …Bc5 with a threat to f2. - e5 – A real mistake (‑1.1). Pushing the e‑pawn gives up White's centre control and opens lines for your pieces. Seize it with …d5! or …Nf6 and follow up with quick development. Even d3, White's single most popular move (1.1 million games), scores
Results across 3,232,249 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d3 | 1,122,483 | 53.9% |
| O-O | 656,144 | 56.5% |
| c3 | 633,584 | 55.4% |
| Qf3 | 580,762 | 52.7% |
| Qh5 | 144,110 | 59.8% |
| e5 | 22,949 | 50.6% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Blackburne‑Kostić Gambit sound for Black?
Objectively the engine says White is clearly better (+1.24), so it is not sound in the strict sense. However, in practice Black wins 41.3% of games at club level, and many of White's natural replies are inaccuracies. If you enjoy active piece play and want to surprise opponents who expect a quiet Italian, this gambit can be very effective.
What should I do if White plays c3 against my d4‑pawn?
c3 is an inaccuracy that loses about 0.6 pawns of advantage. Your best answer is to strike in the centre with …d7‑d5, opening lines for your pieces. You can also simply develop with …Nf6 and not worry about the pawn — White may waste time capturing it while you complete your development.
Why does the engine prefer O‑O for White, and how should I respond?
O‑O is the only move that keeps White's full advantage because it develops and gets the king to safety before you can create threats. Against it, you should play …Nf6, followed by …Be7 or …Bc5, castle yourself, and prepare to challenge the centre with …d6 and …Re8. Play solidly and wait for White to overreach.
What happens if White plays Qh5, attacking f7 immediately?
Qh5 is a popular try (144,110 games) but White scores a poor 59.8% — worse than the average for this opening. Simply play …Nf6, attacking the queen, and after the queen moves, develop naturally. Do not panic about the f7‑pawn; White's queen is more exposed than your king.
How many games feature the Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić Gambit: Nxd4?
Over 3 million Lichess games have reached the Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić Gambit: Nxd4 position. White wins 54.6%, Black wins 41.3%, with 4.1% draws — based on real rated games.