The Falkbeer Countergambit, Alapin Variation is a variation of the King's Gambit Declined, catalogued as ECO C32. The line runs 1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Nf3 Bc5 7. Qe2 Bf2+ 8. Kd1 Qxd5+ 9. Nfd2, reaching the position shown below after 17 half-moves.
The four central squares are empty of pawns, so the fight for them is being conducted by pieces. Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move after nine moves. The d- and e-files files are fully open.
On the King's Gambit Declined generally: Black declines the gambit pawn, leading to solid and strategic middlegame positions.
You can play through this variation move by move in your browser — Learn mode walks the line with an explanation at each step, and Drill mode replays it from memory so you find out whether you actually know it. No account is required.
See all 16 King's Gambit Declined variations →
The Falkbeer Countergambit, Alapin Variation goes 1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Nf3 Bc5 7. Qe2 Bf2+ 8. Kd1 Qxd5+ 9. Nfd2. It is a variation of the King's Gambit Declined and is catalogued as ECO C32.
The Falkbeer Countergambit, Alapin Variation is ECO C32. ECO codes group openings by their move order, so nearby codes cover closely related lines of the King's Gambit Declined.
Stockfish evaluates the position after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. d3 Nf6 5. dxe4 Nxe4 6. Nf3 Bc5 7. Qe2 Bf2+ 8. Kd1 Qxd5+ 9. Nfd2 at +2.51 at depth 18, which is a clear advantage for White. Engine evaluation is only a starting point — at club level the practical value of a line is mostly about whether you know its plans better than your opponent does.
The four central squares are empty of pawns, so the fight for them is being conducted by pieces. Development is level at one minor pieces each. It is Black to move. The d- and e-files files are fully open.