Chessy
King's Gambit Accepted: Modern Defense — 4.exd5 Nf6
You've chosen one of the sharpest answers to the King's Gambit. After 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 d5 4.exd5 Nf6, Black immediately challenges White's centre while developing a piece with tempo. The engine gives this position -0.28, a tiny edge for Black — meaning you are the one fighting for an advantage from move four. Across 279,757 games on Lichess, Black scores 48.8% compared to White's 47.7%, confirming this is no mere survival line. The drill below will teach you how to handle White's most popular tries and punish common inaccuracies.
Play the King's Gambit Accepted: Modern Defense: exd5 against the engine
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Create a free account →What You're Fighting For: The d5-Pawn & Central Activity
The whole point of Black's setup is to give the f4-pawn back in exchange for rapid development and a pawn on d5. After ...Nf6, you attack the d5-pawn and prepare ...Bd6 or ...Bc5, putting pressure on f4 and the kingside. White cannot comfortably hang onto the extra pawn — the d5-outpost is a target, and your knight on f6 eyes e4 and g4. If White wastes a move defending f4, you gain time to castle and start a central or queenside counterattack. The engine's -0.28 evaluation reflects that Black already has the more pleasant position to play.
The Engine's Top Choice: Bb5+
The strongest move according to Stockfish is 5.Bb5+, immediately putting pressure on your king-side development. The idea is simple: after you block with ...c6, White recaptures with 6.dxc6, and the continuation runs 6...Nxc6. Now White has traded the d5-pawn for an active bishop and some open lines. Black gets a solid position with easy development — ...Bc5, ...O-O, and ...Re8 are natural ideas. Even though White chooses this line only in about 10,355 games from the dataset, it scores 47.1% for White — slightly below the overall average. From Black's perspective, you should welcome this line: you equalise comfortably and have no particular weaknesses.
How to Face the Most Popular Replies
White's most common choice is 5.c4 (79,118 games), aiming to hold the d5-pawn and build a broad centre. Black can respond with ...Bd6, ...O-O, or ...c6, all of which lead to lively play. White scores 49.9% here — close to equality — so you need accurate follow-ups. If White plays 5.Nc3 (63,241 games), the knight helps control d5 but blocks the c-pawn; Black can play ...Bb4 or ...Bd6 and castle quickly. The 5.d4 line (57,760 games) is actually White's worst-scoring major option at 46.4% — Black gets easy development and a kingside attack after ...Bd6 and ...O-O, often recapturing on f4 later. Against 5.Bc4 (55,705 games, White scores 48.0%), Black should be careful: that bishop eyes f7, so ...c6 or ...Nbd7 with ...Nb6 to challenge it are standard.
Most Common Mistakes to Avoid
Although the FACTS block does not list specific errors, the statistics reveal a clear lesson: Black has a slight edge but must play actively. The two biggest pitfalls are (1) grabbing material too greedily — if you try to hang onto the f4-pawn with ...g5 or ...h6, you fall behind in development and White's attack becomes overwhelming — and (2) playing passively. In lines like 5.d4, where White scores poorly, some Black players get lazy and let White consolidate. Remember: your d5-pawn is an asset, not a weakness. Develop your light-squared bishop to d6 or c5, castle kingside, and prepare ...Re8 or ...c5 to challenge White's centre. The engine says you are slightly better — trust the position and keep the initiative.
Results across 279,757 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| c4 | 79,118 | 49.9% |
| Nc3 | 63,241 | 47.2% |
| d4 | 57,760 | 46.4% |
| Bc4 | 55,705 | 48.0% |
| Bb5+ | 10,355 | 47.1% |
| Be2 | 5,061 | 48.0% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the King's Gambit Accepted Modern Defense good for Black?
Yes. With an engine evaluation of -0.28 and a 48.8% Black win rate across 279,757 games, Black scores slightly better than White in practice. This is one of Black's most reliable ways to handle the King's Gambit, offering active piece play without huge risk.
What is White's best move after 4.exd5 Nf6?
Stockfish recommends 5.Bb5+, putting pressure on Black and forcing ...c6. White then continues with dxc6 Nxc6. However, White's most popular move is 5.c4, played in over 79,000 games. Both are fully playable, and Black has a good position against each.
How should Black respond to 5.c4 in this position?
Against 5.c4, Black can develop naturally with ...Bd6, ...O-O, or challenge the centre with ...c6. White scores 49.9% from this line, which is close to equal. You should aim to castle quickly and prepare to recapture the f4-pawn or start central counterplay.
Does Black need to worry about the f4-pawn?
Not really. In the Modern Defense, Black willingly gives up the f4-pawn to get a strong pawn on d5 and active piece play. White often cannot hold onto f4 without falling behind in development. Focus on your own setup — the pawn usually comes back naturally.