King's Gambit Declined: Black's guide after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5

Stockfish rates this -0.03, a tiny edge for Black. That means you are essentially equal here. This is a good opening choice if you like active piece play and want to meet the King's Gambit without drifting into trouble.

The database also supports that calm verdict: in 1,400,804 games at this exact position, White wins 51.1%, draws 2.7%, and Black wins 46.1%. The numbers are close, so your practical goal is simple: develop smoothly, keep your position healthy, and make White prove the attack.

The most common continuation is Nf3, and it appears far more often than anything else: 1,214,036 games, with White scoring 52.4%. That tells you what to expect most often in practice, so this is the line to understand first.

The other common tries are much less frequent: fxe5, Bc4, c3, Nc3, and d3. You do not need to memorize a long tree here. You do need to stay alert for each move, because White may choose an attacking setup, a central grab, or a quiet build-up depending on taste.

The engine's best move here is Nf3, continuing Nf3 d6 fxe5 dxe5. That is the most important pattern to know from the drill: Black answers naturally, keeps pieces active, and does not rush.

If you are learning this opening as Black, the main lesson is to develop with purpose and avoid helping White get a free initiative. In a balanced position like this, good piece coordination matters more than tricks.

The clearest mistake to watch for is fxe5. It is a blunder and loses about 3.8 pawns; better was Nf3. That is a huge swing, so if White grabs on e5 carelessly, you should be ready to benefit from it.

Bc4 is also less accurate. It is an inaccuracy and loses about 0.7 pawns; better was Nf3. In both cases, the lesson is the same: do not panic, and do not give White extra time or easy targets.