Caissa Codex
C30

King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack

Chess diagram: King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack after 3. Qh5

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Statistics from Lichess

6,161 games: White 57.7% / Draw 4.5% / Black 37.8%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
2,1472,147
1,7001,700
638638
555555
542542
322322
109109
4444

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

Engine evaluation

−1.21 Black is better

Best play: 3... Nc6 4. fxe5 Nd4 5. Bd3 d5 6. Nc3 g6 7. Qd1 Qg5 8. g3

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

Overview

King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack (ECO C30, Open Games) is a declined gambit in the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Qh5 (3 moves).

In 6,161 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 57.7%, Black 37.8% and 4.5% were drawn. Black's most played move here is 3…Nc6, in 35% of those games.

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How to play against the King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack

3…d6 scores best for Black: 44.9%, with Black winning 42.7% and White 52.8% of 1,700 games. The most played, 3…Nc6, scores 42.2% in 2,147 games, and 3…Qf6 scores lowest: 30.1%. Stockfish's first choice is 3…Nc6.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 3. Qh5, the position after King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “King's Gambit Declined: Classical Variation, Walthoffen Attack (C30)”. Lichess data as of 30 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/kings-gambit-declined-classical-variation-walthoffen-attack

https://chesscodex.org/openings/kings-gambit-declined-classical-variation-walthoffen-attack