C37

King's Gambit Accepted: Muzio Gambit, Holloway Defense

Chess diagram: King's Gambit Accepted: Muzio Gambit, Holloway Defense after 6…Nc6

Type a move and press Enter: e4, Nf3, O-O, or from and to squares like g1f3 (e7e8q to promote). The board is also played with the mouse.

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Statistics from Lichess

6,198 games: White 61.6% / Draw 2.5% / Black 35.9%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
3,6513,651
1,0051,005
739739
363363
259259
113113
3939
99

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 29, 2026

Engine evaluation

+0.32 White is slightly better

Best play: 7. Qxf4 f6 8. Nc3 Ne5 9. Bxg8 Rxg8 10. d4 Ng6 11. Qf3 d6

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

Overview

King's Gambit Accepted: Muzio Gambit, Holloway Defense (ECO C37, Open Games) is a gambit in the King's Gambit Accepted: Muzio Gambit, Wild Muzio Gambit, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 Nc6 (6 moves).

In 6,198 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 61.6%, Black 35.9% and 2.5% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. Qxf4, in 59% of those games.

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How to play against the King's Gambit Accepted: Muzio Gambit, Holloway Defense

The most played answer, 7. Qxf4, also scores best for White: 65.7%, with White winning 64.6% and Black 33.1% of 3,651 games. Of the main answers, 7. Bxf7+ scores lowest: 55.3%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. Qxf4.

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: Muzio Gambit, Holloway Defense (C37)”. Lichess data as of 29 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/kings-gambit-accepted-muzio-gambit-holloway-defense