Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5/2. f4/2...exf4/3. Nf3/3...Nf6

Black answers with 3...Nf6, the Schallopp Defense: an active line named after 19th-century German master Emil Schallopp. Instead of defending the f4 pawn or playing ...g5 immediately, Black develops a piece and prepares to counter in the center.

If White plays 4. e5, trying to drive the knight away, Black should respond with 4...Nh5!, defending the pawn on f4 and typically preparing ...d5 to either close the center and dissipate white's fast attacks, or develop black's dark-square bishop on d6 with tempo after white captures en passant exd6 e.p. Black usually also plays ...g5 shortly afterward, but this move order denies White the classical attacking positions associated with the Main Line of the King's Gambit Accepted.

The Schallopp Defense can lead to a variety of positions: Sharp lines where Black will counterattack, open positions with liquidated centers that are roughly equal with small advantages for Black, or positions with closed centers that progress slowly where Black tries to solidify their material advantage. It's less tactical than the Kieseritzky or Fischer Defense in most cases, but strategically sound and well-suited for players aiming to neutralize White’s early initiative without deep theoretical preparation.

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation..

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Nf6

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Wikipedia has related information at Kings Gambit

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.