Chessy
Latvian Gambit: Diepstraten Countergambit — White's Guide
You're playing White, and from the first moves your opponent has declared war: after 1.e4 e5, they meet 2.Nf3 with 2...f5, the sharp Latvian Gambit. Most White players instinctively grab the pawn, but there's a calmer, more cunning weapon available: 3.c4, the Diepstraten Countergambit. You're not taking anything yet — you're stabilising the centre and letting Black overextend first. Over 1,321 games at this position, White scores 44.6% wins and Black 51.9%, but those numbers shift dramatically when Black picks the wrong reply. The drill below will teach you exactly how to punish inaccuracies and steer the game into comfortable territory.
Play the Latvian Gambit: Diepstraten Countergambit against the engine
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Play through the Diepstraten Countergambit drill below and practise punishing Black's inaccuracies. Create a free account to track your progress against the AI.
Create a free account →The Core Idea: Why 3.c4 Works
The Latvian Gambit is built around Black's desire to open lines against your king early. By playing 3.c4, you refuse to oblige. Instead of capturing on f5 (which gives Black immediate activity with ...d5 or ...d6 followed by ...g6 ideas), you contest d5 and prepare to develop naturally. The engine evaluates this at -0.06, dead level — White has conceded nothing. Your plan is simple: if Black captures on e4 (3...fxe4), you have 4.Nxe5, and after 4...Nf6 you can play 5.Be2, keeping a flexible structure. You are not worse; the position is balanced but Black must play accurately to prove compensation.
The Engine's Chosen Path: When Black Captures
The most popular continuation (468 games) and the engine's best move for Black is 3...fxe4. This is the principled reply — Black opens lines as intended. After 4.Nxe5 Nf6 5.Be2, White has a solid, slightly space-gaining setup. Your knight is active on e5, your bishop eyes the kingside, and you can castle quickly. White scores 45.3% from here, which is respectable given the sharp nature of the opening. The key is not to overreach: develop calmly, keep your king safe, and trust that Black's slightly loose pawn structure will give you long-term chances in the middlegame. The engine shows this line is fully playable for you.
Punishing Black's Inaccuracies
The statistics reveal that Black has several tempting moves that are actually suboptimal. The most common mistake is 3...Nf6 (323 games, White scores 41.8%). The engine flags this as an inaccuracy costing roughly 0.8 pawns — the correct reply was 3...fxe4. After 3...Nf6, White can advantageously capture on f5 or simply continue with natural development, leaving Black's knight misplaced. Even worse is 3...d6 (192 games, White scores 49.0%), also an inaccuracy losing about 0.7 pawns. The best alternative was 3...Nc6 (228 games, White scores 43.9%), which keeps the position more unclear. The outright mistake is 3...f4 (40 games, White scores 45.0%), which loses roughly 2.1 pawns — Black's pawn becomes a target rather than a weapon, and White can slowly surround it.
What the Scoreboard Tells You
Don't be discouraged by the overall 44.6% win rate for White across all games. When Black knows the theory (3...fxe4), the position is balanced but testable. When Black guesses wrong — and they often do — your winning chances jump significantly. The 49.0% White score after 3...d6 and the 50.0% after 3...Bc5 show that many Black responses are not punishing. This opening suits you if you enjoy playing principled chess without memorising sharp tactical lines. You're asking Black to prove their compensation, and the statistics show they don't always find it.
Results across 1,321 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| fxe4 | 468 | 45.3% |
| Nf6 | 323 | 41.8% |
| Nc6 | 228 | 43.9% |
| d6 | 192 | 49.0% |
| f4 | 40 | 45.0% |
| Bc5 | 36 | 50.0% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Latvian Gambit: Diepstraten Countergambit sound for White?
Statistically, White scores 44.6% wins, 3.6% draws, and 51.9% losses across 1,321 games — so Black has a slight practical edge. However, the engine rates the position as dead level at -0.06, meaning the evaluation is balanced. Your results depend heavily on how Black replies: inaccurate moves like 3...Nf6 or 3...d6 give White clear chances to take over.
What is White's best move after 3.c4?
The engine recommends a simple approach: after Black's best reply 3...fxe4, continue with 4.Nxe5 Nf6 5.Be2. This develops smoothly, keeps your king safe, and maintains a flexible pawn structure. The idea is not to rush but to let Black's aggressive pawn advance create long-term weaknesses.
How should I respond if Black plays 3...Nf6?
The move 3...Nf6 is a known inaccuracy that loses about 0.8 pawns according to the engine. You can exploit this by capturing on f5 or simply developing with tempo. The statistics show White scores slightly below average here (41.8%), but the engine advantage suggests the position is actually better for you than the raw results imply.
What makes 3...f4 a mistake?
Playing 3...f4 loses roughly 2.1 pawns according to the engine. Black's pawn on f4 becomes a fixed target rather than a dynamic attacking force. White can slowly build pressure against it with moves like d3 or g3, while Black's dark-squared bishop is temporarily restricted. White scores 45.0% in practice from this position, but the engine evaluation indicates far better chances.