White to move. Staunton has built up pressure on the queenside and centre. He found the knight sacrifice that cracks the black position open — can you spot it?
Howard Staunton vs Bernhard Horwitz
Why this game matters
London, 1846. Howard Staunton, then the world's strongest player, faced the German master Bernhard Horwitz in a match that confirmed his supremacy. Here Staunton wheeled out the gambit that bears his name (1.d4 f5 2.e4!?), sacrificing a pawn against the Dutch to seize the initiative, and ground out a long, instructive attacking victory.
The lesson
A pawn given up for development and the initiative can pay off over a long game. Staunton kept the pressure for fifty moves, slowly converting his lead in activity into material and a winning king-side attack. Patience plus initiative: you don't have to mate in twenty moves to win with a gambit.
Move by move
2. e42.e4! The Staunton Gambit. Against the Dutch, White offers a pawn to rip open the centre and develop with tempo.
6. Nxe46.Nxe4 — Staunton has regained an active position; the gambit pawn has bought him a lead in development.
10. f410.f4 — clamping the king-side and fixing Black's f5-pawn as a long-term target.
18. Rf318.Rf3 — a rook lift, swinging the rook to the third rank to support play across the board.
23. Nxf523.Nxf5! The knight sacrifice that opens the position; Staunton has calculated the resulting attack.
24. Rxb624.Rxb6 — winning material and ripping open the queenside while the attack continues.
26. Qxd5+26.Qxd5+ — the queen joins with check, picking up pawns and keeping the black king exposed.
36. Nxc236.Nxc2 — Staunton has converted his initiative into a clear material advantage in the endgame.
48. Qxh4+48.Qxh4+ — the king-side pawns fall and the white queen dominates; the win is now a matter of technique.
56. Qgd656.Qgd6 — with two queens and an overwhelming position, Horwitz resigned. A patient gambit win.
Frequently asked
What is the Staunton Gambit?
The line 1.d4 f5 2.e4!?, in which White sacrifices a pawn against the Dutch Defence to open the centre and develop quickly. It is named after Howard Staunton, who played and analysed it, and remains a respected try for the initiative.
Who was Howard Staunton?
An English master regarded as the world's strongest player from about 1843 to 1851, organiser of the first international tournament (London 1851), and the man behind the standard 'Staunton' chess pieces. He was also a noted Shakespeare scholar.
Can I try the game myself?
Yes — replay the whole game move by move, or take the board at the breakthrough and try to find Staunton's knight sacrifice and the long attacking conversion, no sign-up.