Chessy
Punish White in the Accelerated London Steinitz Countergambit (Nc3)
The London System is solid and popular, but if White gets too clever with the Accelerated version, you can hit back hard. After 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 c5 3.Nc3, you gambit a pawn with 3...cxd4. The engine evaluates the resulting position at +0.51, a small edge for White — but those numbers don't tell the full story. In practice, the database shows White wins 48.7% and Black wins 48.1% across over 63,000 games. If White doesn't know the correct reply, you're the one who walks away with the full point. The drill below will teach you exactly how to handle each possibility.
Play the Queen's Pawn Game: Accelerated London System, Steinitz Countergambit: Nc3 against the engine
Free, no signup — you play black, the engine adapts to your level.
Ready to turn the tables on White? Dive into the interactive drill below and play the Steinitz Countergambit from Black's perspective against an engine that pun
Create a free account →What You're Fighting For
By playing 3...cxd4, you immediately take the game out of quiet London channels. White has one clearly best continuation — but many of White's alternatives are outright blunders. You're not just hoping for a mistake; the statistics prove that when White plays anything other than the top move, your winning chances skyrocket. The key is knowing how to punish each misstep, and the drill will make those patterns automatic. This is a sharp, principled countergambit that rewards preparation.
The Critical Continuation: Qxd4
White's strongest response is Qxd4 (played in 53,106 of the 63,663 database games). After Qxd4 e6, the engine's best line continues Bxb8 Rxb8. In this main line, White has traded the dark-squared bishop for your rook's knight, leaving you with a solid position and the bishop pair. White scores only 50.4% from this position — barely above half — so even in the main line you're fighting on equal terms. You'll get plenty of practice against this in the drill.
The Mistakes You Can Punish
Three common White replies are straight-up blunders or serious mistakes, according to the engine. Here's what to look for: Nb5 (9,338 games, White scores just 41.9% — a blunder losing ~4.0 pawns). Nxd5 (349 games, White scores only 29.2% — a blunder losing ~4.9 pawns). Nb1 (205 games, White scores 42.9% — a mistake losing ~2.6 pawns). Each of these should give you a huge advantage if you know the correct follow-up. The drill will show you White's best answer to each (Qxd4) and let you practice grinding out the win.
What the Statistics Reveal
The numbers from over 63,000 games are striking. Despite the engine giving White a small edge on paper, the actual results are nearly dead even. White's win rate across all positions is 48.7%, Black's is 48.1%, and draws are only 3.2%. That's a fighting opening where the better-prepared player almost always wins. When White plays one of the suboptimal moves — Nb5, Nxd5, Nb1, e3, or Bxb8 — White's score drops to between 20.5% and 42.9%. If you invest a little time learning the replies, you can turn the +0.51 evaluation on its head.
Results across 63,663 Lichess games
| Most-played continuation | Games | White wins |
|---|---|---|
| Qxd4 | 53,106 | 50.4% |
| Nb5 | 9,338 | 41.9% |
| Nxd5 | 349 | 29.2% |
| Nb1 | 205 | 42.9% |
| e3 | 195 | 20.5% |
| Bxb8 | 154 | 39.6% |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Steinitz Countergambit sound for Black?
It's a sharp, playable gambit. The engine gives White a small edge (+0.51), but in practice Black scores 48.1% across over 63,000 games — nearly equal. The key is knowing how to punish White's most common mistakes, which the drill will teach you.
What happens if White plays Qxd4 against me?
That's White's best move. You continue with 5...e6. The engine's top line then runs Bxb8 Rxb8. You give up the b8-knight but gain the bishop pair and a solid position. White only scores 50.4% from there, so the fight is very much on.
Which White moves are blunders in this line?
Nb5 and Nxd5 are both blunders costing White roughly 4.0 and 4.9 pawns respectively. Nb1 is a smaller mistake losing about 2.6 pawns. White's score drops sharply after any of these — 41.9%, 29.2%, and 42.9% respectively.
How should I respond if White plays Nb5?
White's Nb5 is a blunder. The engine says Qxd4 was correct instead. With Nb5, you gain a winning advantage. The drill will show you the precise sequence to capitalise, so you can practice converting this into a full point.