C39

King's Gambit Accepted: Allgaier, Horny Defense

Chess diagram: King's Gambit Accepted: Allgaier, Horny Defense after 8…Bd6

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Statistics from Lichess

8,279 games: White 32.5% / Draw 2.1% / Black 65.4%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
4,3684,368
2,4182,418
1,0591,059
162162
137137
123123
66
33

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Nov 3, 2026

Engine evaluation

−3.06 Black is clearly better

Best play: 9. Qe3 c5 10. Na3 Nc6 11. Be2 Bb8 12. b4 d5 13. bxc5 d4

Stockfish 19, depth 30, after the line's last move. Scores are in pawns, from White's side.

Overview

King's Gambit Accepted: Allgaier, Horny Defense (ECO C39, Open Games) is a gambit in the King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky Gambit, Cotter Gambit, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. h4 g4 5. Ng5 h6 6. Nxf7 Kxf7 7. Qxg4 Nf6 8. Qxf4 Bd6 (8 moves).

In 8,279 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 32.5%, Black 65.4% and 2.1% were drawn. White's most played move here is 9. e5, in 53% of those games.

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How to play against the King's Gambit Accepted: Allgaier, Horny Defense

9. Qf3 scores best for White: 39.8%, with White winning 38.3% and Black 58.8% of 1,059 games. The most played, 9. e5, scores 32.5% in 4,368 games, and 9. Bc4+ scores lowest: 31.9%. Stockfish's first choice is 9. Qe3.

Main answers: those played in at least 5% of these games. Score: White's wins plus half the draws, in rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500. How to play against other popular openings

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “King's Gambit Accepted: Allgaier, Horny Defense (C39)”. Lichess data as of 3 Nov 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/kings-gambit-accepted-allgaier-horny-defense