Black's best defence in the King's Knight's Gambit is to play 4. ... P to Kt 5, thereby forcing White to adopt either the Muzio or the Salvio attack, in either of which cases Black should get the best of the game, as we proceed to show.
THE MUZIO GAMBIT.
| WHITE. | BLACK. | ||
| 1. | P to K 4 | 1. | P to K 4 |
| 2. | P to K B 4 | 2. | P takes P |
| 3. | Kt to K B 3 | 3. | P to K Kt 4 |
| 4. | B to B 4 | 4. | P to Kt 5 |
| 5. | Castles | ... |
The Knight cannot go back to Kt sq., consequently White must either give it up or play Kt to K 5, which will be treated in the Salvio Gambit. Leaving the Knight en prise constitutes the Muzio Gambit.
| ... | 5. | P takes Kt |
The position is now as represented in Fig. 12.
| 6. | Q takes P | 6. | Q to B 3 |
| 7. | P to K 5 | ... |
This further sacrifice may be regarded as compulsory. White gains time to develop his pieces, as Black has, after the capture of the K P, both King and Queen in an exposed position.