Chessy
How to Play the Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System — Steinitz Countergambit, Mor
If you play 1.d4 as White one of the most solid systems you can face is the London. But what if you could meet it with a sharp counterpunch right out of the gate? The Steinitz Countergambit (1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 3.e4 dxe4) does exactly that — you immediately take aim at White's centre before they can settle into their usual comfortable setup. This page covers the Morris Countergambit Accepted, and you'll see why the statistics favour you. Below, you can play the resulting position against an engine that adapts to your strength.
Play the Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System, Steinitz Countergambit, Morris Countergambit Accepted against the engine
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Create a free account →What You're Fighting For
The Accelerated London System is normally a safe, positional way for White to develop without taking many risks. By playing 3...dxe4 you are saying: 'Prove your centre is real.' You've grabbed a pawn and now White must decide how to recover it. If White plays timidly or tries to keep things quiet, you'll keep the extra pawn and emerge with a very pleasant position. The engine rates the position at -0.42, a small edge for you. That means you are slightly better already. Not every gambit offers you the better side of equality this quickly — but this one does.
The Engine's Best Reply (And What It Means)
The engine recommends Ne2 for White, which threatens nothing directly but defends the d4-pawn and prepares to recapture on d4 with the queen if you capture there. The full line runs: Ne2 cxd4 Qxd4 Qxd4. After this trade of queens you have a clean extra pawn and White has some development to show for it. The position becomes simplified and technical, but your extra pawn is real and you should convert it with careful play. Most club players will not find this precise defence — they will try something more aggressive — and that is where you can punish them.
The Most Common Replies (And How to Exploit Them)
In practice White rarely finds the engine's first choice. Here are the moves you'll see most often, with their White win percentages from 7,706 games in the Lichess database (your overall winning chances: 49.3% to White's 47.4%, with 3.3% draws):- d5 (played 4,419 times): White scores 51.9%. This push attacks your centre and is the most popular try. You should capture on d5 or support your c-pawn — the engine prefers keeping the tension.- Nc3 (769 games, White 47.6%): This develops with a threat to e4, but it's an inaccuracy that loses about 0.6 pawns. You can hold the pawn with ...Bb4 or simply ...cxd4.- dxc5 (746 games, White 34.9%): An inaccuracy losing ~0.7 pawns. You recapture with the queen or bishop and keep your extra material.- Bc4 (370 games, White 33.0%): This is a mistake that loses ~1.2 pawns. White puts a target on the bishop — you can attack it with ...Nc6 or ...Qxd4 with tempo, and White's compensation is almost non-existent.
The Biggest Mistake to Punish
Among the known errors in this position, Bc4 stands out as the outright worst — a mistake costing White roughly 1.2 pawns of advantage (from the starting position that is already in your favour). If White plays Bc4, you should respond energetically. The natural move ...Nc6 attacks the d4-pawn and threatens ...Qxd4, while also eyeing the bishop on c4. White's position becomes loose very quickly. Even the less severe inaccuracies (Nc3, dxc5) are worth knowing: if White plays any of them, you can be confident that your position has gone from 'slightly better' to 'clearly better.'
Results across 7,706 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| d5 | 4,419 | 51.9% |
| Nc3 | 769 | 47.6% |
| dxc5 | 746 | 34.9% |
| Bb5+ | 417 | 46.3% |
| Bc4 | 370 | 33.0% |
| f3 | 327 | 47.1% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Steinitz Countergambit sound for Black?
Yes, based on the statistics. Over 7,706 games Black scores 49.3% to White's 47.4%, and the engine gives -0.42, a small edge in your favour. You are not risking a bad position — you are fighting for the advantage from move 3.
What should I do if White plays d5 on move 4?
d5 is the most common response (4,419 games). It attacks your centre. The best approach is to maintain your extra pawn by either capturing on d5 with your queen or bishop, or supporting the d4-square. Avoid giving back the pawn without a fight — the engine considers d5 less dangerous than it looks.
Is dxc5 a good move for White to try?
No — dxc5 is an inaccuracy that costs White about 0.7 pawns. If White captures on c5, simply recapture with the queen (...Qxd1+) or develop with ...Nc6 attacking d4. White's compensation for your extra pawn is minimal.
Which White move should I fear most?
The engine's top choice, Ne2, is the most testing. It leads to a queen trade after 4...cxd4 5.Qxd4 Qxd4 6.Nxd4, leaving you a pawn up in a simplified endgame. This is your best scenario, but you need to convert technique. Any other White move gives you an even bigger edge.