Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...d5/2. exd5/2...Qxd5/3. Ke2

This move is interesting, as it is a blunder that allows 3...Qe4#.

According to GM Ben Finegold, there was a rule in chess over 150 years ago that forced the player to move the king instead if they happened to make an illegal move. One such occasion happened in the 1800s. After 2...Qxd5, the player with the white pieces wanted to play 3.Nc3, but accidentally moved the bishop, 3.Bc3, which is an illegal move. The player was then forced to play 3.Ke2??, as it was the only legal move for the king, thus getting checkmated.^[1]

1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Ke2??

1. ↑ GMBenjaminFinegold (2025-05-14), Improve Your Chess, with GM Ben Finegold, retrieved 2025-07-13