The King's Gambit is 1. 2.: you give up the f-pawn to pull Black's e5 pawn away, open the f-file and aim at f7. Across 435,567 Lichess games from September 2026 between players rated 900 to 1700, you score 54.2%, and that number barely moves from one rating band to the next. Among players rated 2200 and up, the side playing it scores 49 in every 100.
Lichess games from September 2026 (30,577,162 rated 900 to 1700) and 31,791 over-the-board games rated 2300+ from the last 12 months. Data updated: October 14, 2026.
179 named lines in this family; 4 with their own page.
The opening's share in each Lichess rating band.
After 2., Black at your level takes with in 42 of every 100 games. Most of the rest decline with , 26 in 100, or , 14 in 100. Players rated 2200 and up also accept more than anything else, 45 in 100, but their next choice is , striking back in the center: they play it in 26 of every 100 games, the public in 7. In over-the-board games at 2300 and up, 78 in 100 accept. After , the public goes 3. in 89 of every 100 games and strong players in 74, while 22 in 100 strong players prefer 3., which shows up in just 4 at your level.
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42.0% | 54.8% | 45.3% | 77.8% | |
| 25.8% | 53.6% | 13.5% | no data | |
| 13.9% | 54.0% | 5.1% | no data | |
| 6.5% | 50.4% | 25.9% | 22.2% | |
| 2.7% | 51.3% | 6.6% | no data | |
| 2.4% | 62.1% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 2.2% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 89.4% | 55.2% | 74.0% | 68.4% | |
| 4.4% | 51.4% | 0.8% | no data | |
| 4.0% | 55.7% | 21.6% | 31.6% | |
| 0.8% | 49.9% | no data | no data | |
| 0.3% | 48.1% | 3.1% | no data | |
| 0.2% | 38.9% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 0.6% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22.0% | 56.1% | no data | no data | |
| 15.3% | 54.8% | 14.6% | 100.0% | |
| 12.0% | 52.7% | 34.3% | no data | |
| 11.1% | 56.6% | 17.2% | no data | |
| 8.4% | 54.4% | 13.8% | no data | |
| 8.1% | 57.4% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 8.0% | no data | |
| no data | no data | 5.3% | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46.8% | 53.1% | 40.4% | no data | |
| 19.8% | 54.8% | 33.0% | no data | |
| 19.1% | 51.3% | 9.6% | no data | |
| 9.6% | 50.7% | 2.6% | no data | |
| 1.7% | 53.0% | 14.4% | no data | |
| 0.7% | 49.0% | no data | no data |
| Move | Lichess 900–1700 | White's score | Online, 2200+ | Over the board, 2300+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31.8% | 52.4% | 35.5% | no data | |
| 21.6% | 51.6% | 5.1% | no data | |
| 9.6% | 49.1% | 45.7% | no data | |
| 8.1% | 52.8% | 7.5% | no data | |
| 7.6% | 51.1% | 3.4% | no data | |
| 5.4% | 61.4% | no data | no data | |
| no data | no data | 2.7% | no data |
The strong players' line from 2. runs 3. 4. 5. . Here's what you're after: you hand over the f-pawn to clear Black's pawn off e5, open the f-file for your rook and aim at f7, which Black guards with nothing but the king. In return Black keeps an extra pawn on f4, propped up by another on g5.
2. hits e5 and offers the pawn, but it costs you something: with the f2 pawn gone, the diagonal from h4 to e1 is open to the d8 queen. After , 3. covers h4 and takes that check away before it can happen. defends the f4 pawn and also watches h4, so Black holds on to the extra pawn.
4. puts the bishop on the diagonal toward f7 and clears the way to castle. sets Black's bishop on the long diagonal, where it eyes d4 and e5, the squares you need for your center. After 5. your king is safe and the f1 rook sits on the file you opened, behind the f3 knight. covers e5 a second time and opens the diagonal for the c8 bishop. That's the structure: you play with development and pressure on f7 and the f-file; Black plays with an extra pawn and a close eye on your center.
You won't see this line much at your level. After 3., the public answers in 12 of every 100 games, against 34 for strong players, and after 4. it plays in 10 of every 100, against 46. On top of that, more than half of the public never takes on f4 at all.
What you will run into, again and again, is the queen check on h4 when Black declines. As long as your pawn stays on f4, it blocks the fourth rank between h4 and e4: if the queen checks with and you block with 3., it can't take on e4. Move that pawn with 3. or 3. and the rank opens, so is followed by . Four of the six mistakes below come from that.
| Move | Strong games | Chosen by |
|---|---|---|
| 6,539 | 45.4% | |
| 2,950 | 74.0% | |
| 2,140 | 34.2% | |
| 730 | 40.4% | |
| 293 | 45.7% | |
| 130 | 46.2% | |
| 58 | 39.7% |
This one's a trap. After , 3. moves your pawn off f4 and opens the fourth rank. Then 4. is check and also hits the h1 rook, and after 5. it's gone. 6 in every 100 players fall for it. At your level it often goes unpunished: you score 52 of every 100, against 54 with 3..
6 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 7.7 pawns of advantage. It scores 51.6%; scores 54.2%.
After , 3. is an inaccuracy, not a serious mistake, and 80 in every 100 players choose it. Following 4. 5. 6., Black stays a pawn up, and takes g5 away from your knight. At your level it costs you nothing: you score 55 of every 100, and 54 with 3..
80 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 0.6 pawns of advantage. It scores 54.7%; scores 53.5%.
After 3. , 4. is an inaccuracy that 42 in every 100 players make. It allows , holding f4, and after 5. the pawn hits your knight: with 6. 7. you give it up for a pawn. 4. grabs the center sooner. At your level it barely matters: 56 of every 100 against 57.
42 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 1 pawn of advantage. It scores 55.9%; scores 56.5%.
After , 3. moves the pawn off f4 and opens the fourth rank. Once lands you can't block with 4., since would win the h1 rook, so you play 4. and lose the right to castle. Then 5. 6. leaves your king in the middle. With 3. you score 54 of every 100; with 3., 49.
8 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 4.5 pawns of advantage. It scores 48.9%; scores 53.5%.
Another trap. After , 3. pushes the pawn off the fourth rank, where it blocked the queen's path to e4. 4. is check and hits the h1 rook; after 5. you've lost the rook and the e4 pawn. With 3. you score 54 of every 100; with 3., 44.
2 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 8.3 pawns of advantage. It scores 43.7%; scores 54.2%.
The same trap again. After , 3. repeats the pattern: with no pawn on f4, 4. hits your king and the h1 rook at once, and after 5. the rook falls. 9 in every 100 players do it. Take with 3. instead: you score 52 of every 100, against 41.
9 in 100 play it in this position. It gives away 7.4 pawns of advantage. It scores 40.8%; scores 52.4%.
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 131,285 | ||
| Not castled | 97,408 | |
| Not castled | Not castled | 59,624 |
| 54,136 | ||
| Not castled | 29,185 | |
| 22,302 |
| White | Black | Games |
|---|---|---|
| 8 | ||
| Not castled | Not castled | 5 |
| Not castled | 5 | |
| Not castled | 4 | |
| 4 | ||
| 4 |
1. 2. · 226,877 amateur games · 24 over the board
grabs the pawn; it's the most common reply at your level, with 226,877 games.
1. 2. · 84,625 amateur games
turns down the pawn and guards e5 with the knight; 84,625 public games.
1. 2. · 10,892 amateur games · 3 over the board
aims the bishop at g1 and stops you castling short for now; 10,892 games.
1. 2. 3. · 6,681 amateur games
After , 3. takes the pawn Black offers; you score 57 of every 100.
1. 2. · 5,428 amateur games
leaves e5 hanging and attacks your e4 pawn instead; 5,428 games.
1. 2. · 4,255 amateur games
checks straight away down the diagonal your f-pawn opened; 4,255 games.
1. 2. · 3,840 amateur games
guards e5 with the queen and hits your f4 pawn; you score 57 of every 100.
1. 2. · C30
2,444 amateur games · White's score: 56.1%
1. 2. 3. · C30
1,892 amateur games · White's score: 53.0%
1. 2. · C30
1,147 amateur games · White's score: 50.5%
1. 2. 3. · C30
1,105 amateur games · White's score: 47.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C30
733 amateur games · White's score: 48.8%
1. 2. 3. · C30
72 amateur games · White's score: 58.3%
1. 2. 3. · C30
70 amateur games · White's score: 44.3%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C30
66 amateur games · White's score: 54.5%
1. 2. · C30
51 amateur games · White's score: 53.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C30
21 amateur games · White's score: 52.4%
1. 2. 3. · C30
18 amateur games · White's score: 77.8%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. · C30
14 amateur games · White's score: 42.9%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C30
12 amateur games · White's score: 66.7%
1. 2. 3. · C30
10 amateur games · White's score: 90.0%
1. 2. 3. · C30
7 amateur games · White's score: 71.4%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. · C30
3 amateur games · White's score: 66.7%
1. 2. 3. 4. · C30
1 amateur game · White's score: 0.0%
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. · C30
A gambit is a pawn you offer to get something back. In the King's Gambit, 1. 2., you offer the f-pawn on the king's side to drag Black's e5 pawn away, open the f-file and later build a center with d4. It comes up in a little over 1 of every 100 public games.
More than half of the public declines, mostly with or . Against , 3. covers h4 so the queen check never arrives. What you must avoid is moving the f4 pawn: 3. or 3. opens the fourth rank, and followed by can win your h1 rook.
At 900 to 1700 it holds up: you score between 54 and 55 of every 100 in every rating band. Higher up it gets harder. Players rated 2200 and up score 49 of every 100 with it online, and in 34 over-the-board games at 2300 and up, 46. The mistakes to watch for are the ones that move your f4 pawn and let the queen check on h4.