King's Gambit Accepted, Bishop's Gambit

The Bishop’s Gambit begins with 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4. White has offered the f-pawn to draw Black’s e-pawn away from the center and obtain freer central play and attacking lines. White then develops the bishop to c4, aiming at f7, a sensitive pawn because it is initially protected only by the king.

Choosing 3.Bc4 instead of 3.Nf3 keeps the g1-knight in reserve. If Black’s queen later checks from h4, Nf3 may develop the knight while attacking that queen and forcing it to move. The bishop move also clears f1, so the king can move there after ...Qh4+. The cost is significant: once the king moves, White loses the right to castle, the special move normally used to place the king in greater safety.

The position contains a deliberate tension: White seeks the initiative, meaning threats that force the opponent to respond, and rapid development while allowing the king to be displaced. Black may give the check, try to keep the extra pawn, or challenge White’s center. White must use the gained tempi against the queen to activate the knight, queen, and rooks before Black’s material advantage becomes stable.

What 3.Bc4 provides

• Immediate bishop development toward f7.
• The f1-square as a possible refuge for the king.
• A reserved g1-knight that may later attack a queen on h4.