Falkbeer Countergambit
You play Black · 13 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
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10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 7
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek VariationC321. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Qe2 Qxd5 7. Nd2 f5 8. g48 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Morphy DefenseC311. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. exd5 e4 5. d3 Bb4 6. Bd2 e36 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Keres VariationC321. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nd25 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Old LineC321. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. Qe25 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Rubinstein VariationC311. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Qe25 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Tarrasch VariationC321. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Nf3 Bc5 7. Qe2 Bf5 8. g4 O-O8 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Alapin VariationC321. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Nf3 Bc5 7. Qe2 Bf2+ 8. Kd1 Qxd5+ 9. Nfd29 moves
Other variations · 6
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Pickler GambitC311. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 c6 4. dxc6 Bc54 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Anderssen AttackC311. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Bb5+4 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Miles GambitC311. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 Bc53 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Blackburne AttackC311. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. Nf33 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Hinrichsen GambitC311. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. d43 moves
- Falkbeer Countergambit, Milner-Barry VariationC311. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. Nc33 moves
What is the Falkbeer Countergambit?
The Falkbeer Countergambit is a sharp way to decline the King's Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4. Instead of taking on f4, you hit back in the centre and, after White captures on d5, push your e-pawn to e4. That pawn cramps White and controls f3 and d3, and you hope to win back the d5 pawn with quick piece play. The positions are open and tactical. The Falkbeer is an old line with a somewhat dubious reputation in its main form, so it works best as a surprise weapon.
Main ideas and plans
White's most testing answer is to challenge the e4 pawn at once with d3. The main line is 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 e4 4.d3 Nf6 5.dxe4 Nxe4 6.Nf3 Bc5 7.Qe2 Bf5, the Charousek Gambit Main Line: you are a pawn down, but your pieces are active and the c5 bishop eyes f2 and g1. The Tarrasch Variation, with g4 by White, and the Alapin Variation, with ...Bf2+ and ...Qxd5+, are sharp branches. If White plays Qe2 before Nf3, you recapture on d5 with the queen, and White hits your e4 knight with Nd2 and later g4 (the Charousek Variation). Other tries are the Rubinstein Variation with Nc3 and Qe2 and the Anderssen Attack with Bb5+.
Because White gets good chances against the old main line, many players combine the Falkbeer move ...d5 with a different follow-up. After 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 exf4 the game becomes a King's Gambit Accepted, while the Nimzowitsch-Marshall Countergambit, 1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 c6, offers a second pawn for rapid development. White can also avoid the main lines on move three with the Blackburne Attack (Nf3) or the Milner-Barry Variation (Nc3), so have a simple developing answer ready. In all lines your themes are the same: develop fast, use the e-file, aim at f2 and the white king, and give White no time to consolidate the extra pawn.
Who is it for?
The Falkbeer suits players who face the King's Gambit and want to seize the initiative instead of defending an extra pawn. The lines are forcing, so you must know the key tactics, especially the e-file pins and the checks on f2 and d5. The main downside is that in the main line with d3 White is generally considered to get the better game, so a well-prepared opponent can leave you a pawn down for too little. Learn the main line up to ...Bf5 and how to meet the early Qe2 first, then decide whether you will also use the ...c6 or ...exf4 follow-ups.