Caissa Codex
C31

King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Morphy Defense

Chess diagram: King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Morphy Defense after 6…e3

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Statistics from Lichess

38,201 games: White 36.6% / Draw 4.2% / Black 59.2%

The moves played next. Pick one to see it on the board.
Next moveGamesWhite / Draw / BlackW / D / B
33,59434K
4,3574,357
221221
1515
66
33
33
11

Rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, from the Lichess opening explorer, updated Oct 23, 2026

Engine evaluation

0.00 The position is about equal

Best play: 7. Bxe3 O-O 8. Bd2 Re8+ 9. Be2 Bc5 10. Nf3 Bb6 11. d4 c5

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

Overview

King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Morphy Defense (ECO C31, Open Games) is a gambit in the Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line, reached after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. exd5 e4 5. d3 Bb4 6. Bd2 e3 (6 moves).

In 38,201 rated Lichess games between players rated 1600 to 2500, White won 36.6%, Black 59.2% and 4.2% were drawn. White's most played move here is 7. Bxe3, in 88% of those games.

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How to play against the King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Morphy Defense

The most played answer, 7. Bxe3, also scores best for White: 41.2%, with White winning 38.9% and Black 56.6% of 34K games. Of the main answers, 7. Qe2 scores lowest: 20.3%. Stockfish's first choice is also 7. Bxe3.

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

Other lines from the same position

Instead of 4. exd5 e4 5. d3 Bb4 6. Bd2 e3, the position after Vienna Game: Vienna Gambit, Main Line also goes on to:

Cite this page

Caissa Codex. “King's Gambit Declined: Falkbeer Countergambit, Charousek Gambit, Morphy Defense (C31)”. Lichess data as of 23 Oct 2026. https://chesscodex.org/openings/kings-gambit-declined-falkbeer-countergambit-charousek-gambit-morphy-defense

https://chesscodex.org/openings/kings-gambit-declined-falkbeer-countergambit-charousek-gambit-morphy-defense