Chessy
King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Maurian Defense for Black
After 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Nc6, White has a sharp but risky attack, and it is your job to meet it calmly. The position is already well-known in practical play, but the move choices now matter a lot. Your first task is to stay alert to White’s active ideas while keeping your extra pawn and developing smoothly. In the drill below, you will practise the critical response and learn which replies White chooses most often.
Play the King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Maurian Defense against the engine
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Create a free account →What the position is really about
This opening asks Black to defend accurately against an early kingside gambit while avoiding panic. White has opened the f-file and brought a bishop out early, so the threats are direct and easy to see. Your job is not to grab every extra move forever, but to stay organised, keep the king safe, and make White prove compensation. A calm, central reply is the theme here, not a race to attack first.
The engine’s main answer
Stockfish rates this -0.69, a small edge for Black. That means you are slightly better here. The engine’s best move is d4, and that line keeps the pressure on White while asking the attacking side to respond accurately. For practical play, this is a good sign: you do not need to guess wildly, but you do need to be ready for forcing play.
What White usually tries
At this exact position, the most common continuation is Nf3, played in 322,156 games, and White scores 54.4% with it. The next most popular try is d4, with 78,761 games and a 55.0% White score. Other tries include d3 in 14,228 games, Nc3 in 11,878 games, Bxf7+ in 7,995 games, and Qh5 in 4,460 games. The practical lesson is clear: White has several attacking or developing choices, but none of them forces you to drift away from sound defence.
The moves that go wrong most often
The database flags a few specific errors in this position. d3 is an inaccuracy and loses about 0.9 pawns, with Nf3 as the better move. Bxf7+ is a mistake and loses about 2.6 pawns, with d4 as the better move. Qh5 is also a mistake and loses about 1.0 pawns, with Nf3 as the better move. If White reaches for one of these ideas, you should be ready to punish the overreach rather than relax.
Results across 448,197 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Nf3 | 322,156 | 54.4% |
| d4 | 78,761 | 55.0% |
| d3 | 14,228 | 45.7% |
| Nc3 | 11,878 | 52.2% |
| Bxf7+ | 7,995 | 49.0% |
| Qh5 | 4,460 | 46.4% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Maurian Defense good for Black?
In this position, Black is doing well enough to be a little better. Stockfish gives -0.69, which means the position favours Black slightly. That makes it a playable defensive setup if you like meeting an aggressive gambit with principled defence.
What is the best move for Black here?
The engine’s best move is d4. It is the move to learn in the drill, because it keeps White under pressure and fits the tactical nature of the position. Your goal is to answer White’s initiative without giving it free momentum.
What should I expect White to play most often?
The most common move is Nf3, and it appears far more often than the other tries. White also plays d4, d3, Nc3, Bxf7+, and Qh5 quite a lot. Knowing these practical choices helps you stay ready for the plans you are most likely to face.
Which White moves should I be ready to punish?
The database marks d3, Bxf7+, and Qh5 as mistakes or inaccuracies. In particular, Bxf7+ is the biggest problem among them, while d3 and Qh5 are also less accurate than the main developing move. If White chooses one of these, stay alert and keep the advantage of the position.
How many games feature the King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Maurian Defense?
Over 448K Lichess games have reached the King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Maurian Defense position. White wins 53.8%, Black wins 43.5%, with 2.7% draws — based on real rated games.