Chess opening · ECO C50
Italian Game: Blackburne-Kostić Gambit
3...Nd4 answers the Italian in the Blackburne-Kostić Gambit, moving the knight a second time and leaving the e5 pawn without a defender. White can take it, but that is exactly what Black is hoping for. The point is a queen sortie to g5 that hits the e5 knight and the g2 pawn at once. Calmer replies such as 4.Nxd4 or 4.c3 avoid the trap.
- Rank by weighted share
- #127 of 159
Key moves
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nd4
- 3... Nd4The knight jumps to d4 and attacks the f3 knight. In doing so it stops guarding e5, which is the bait. If White trades knights instead, Black recaptures with the e-pawn and gets a pawn on d4.
What happens after 4.Nxe5
After 4.Nxe5 Qg5, the queen attacks the e5 knight and the g2 pawn. If White grabs more with 5.Nxf7, Black plays 5...Qxg2, and after 6.Rf1 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 the knight lands on f3 with mate.
The e2 bishop cannot take on f3 because the queen on e4 pins it, and White's own pieces fill every flight square. White has other moves after 4...Qg5, but the capture on f7 runs straight into this.
The calm answer, 4.Nxd4
Trading knights removes the piece that set the trap. After 4...exd4 the pawn on d4 controls c3 and e3 and stops White's d-pawn from reaching d4, so White often plays c3 or castles and plans to challenge it.
Mate on f3
4. Nxe5 Qg5 5. Nxf7 Qxg2 6. Rf1 Qxe4+ 7. Be2 Nf3#
White takes the e5 pawn, then the f7 pawn, hitting the g5 queen and the h8 rook, while the black queen walks through g2 and e4 with gain of time. The final knight check on f3 is mate.
Top replies by rating
Nxd4 leads every band through 1999. Nxe5, the capture of the pawn left behind, makes the top three from 1200 to 1799.
| Rating | Top | Second | Third |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 1200 | Nxd4 38% | c3 25% | d3 19% |
| 1200–1399 | Nxd4 37% | d3 19% | Nxe5 13% |
| 1400–1599 | Nxd4 38% | c3 17% | Nxe5 14% |
| 1600–1799 | Nxd4 39% | c3 17% | Nxe5 16% |
| 1800–1999 | Nxd4 42% | O-O 18% | c3 17% |
| 2000 and up | Nxd4 75% | Nxe5 25% | – |
Questions
What does Black get if White does not take on e5?
A knight on d4 that hits f3, and after a trade a pawn on d4 that takes the c3 square from White's queen knight. Black has moved the knight twice, so development lags a little and Black must catch up.
Related openings
Try it on the board. The first coached game and three analyses are free.