Caissa Codex
C33

King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Bledow Variation

Chess diagram: King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Bledow Variation after 3…d5

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Statistics from Lichess

62,126 games: White 52.4% / Draw 4.3% / Black 43.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
48,72749K
13,05513K
128128
117117
2525
1919
1717
1111

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 30, 2026

Engine evaluation

−0.31 Black is slightly better

Best play: 4. Bxd5 Qh4+ 5. Kf1 Ne7 6. Nf3 Qh6 7. Nc3 Nbc6 8. Nb5 Bg4

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

Overview

King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Bledow Variation (ECO C33, Open Games) is a gambit in the King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 d5 (3 moves).

In 62,126 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 52.4%, Black 43.2% and 4.3% were drawn. White's most played move here is 4. Bxd5, in 78% of those games.

It branches into 3 named variations; the most played are King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Bledow Countergambit and King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Anderssen Variation.

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How to play against the King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Bledow Variation

The most played answer, 4. Bxd5, also scores best for White: 56.1%, with White winning 53.9% and Black 41.7% of 49K games. Of the main answers, 4. exd5 scores lowest: 49.8%. Stockfish's first choice is also 4. Bxd5.

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

Variations (3)

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3…d5, the position after King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “King's Gambit Accepted: Bishop's Gambit, Bledow Variation (C33)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/kings-gambit-accepted-bishops-gambit-bledow-variation

https://chesscodex.org/openings/kings-gambit-accepted-bishops-gambit-bledow-variation