As Black
Blackburne Shilling Gambit
The Blackburne Shilling Gambit is a chess opening for Black that starts with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4.
A famous trap against the Italian Game (for lower ratings).
Reviewed on November 6, 2026 · Prepared by Josep Serrano Ballestero
Basic · Elo Under 400
Deadly mate · 5.Nxf7
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Nxf7 Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Nf3#
Deadly mate · 6.Bxg8
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Kd8 6.Bxg8 Qxg2 7.Rf1 Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2#
Opponent's mistake · 5.Nf3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Nf3 Qxg2 6.Nxd4 Qxh1+
Opponent's mistake · 6.Nf3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Kd8 6.Nf3 Qxg2 7.Rg1 Nxf3+ 8.Ke2 Nxg1+ 9.Kd3 Nh3
Opponent's mistake · 6.Qg4
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Kd8 6.Qg4 Qxe5
Opponent's mistake · 4.Ng5
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Ng5 Qxg5 5.d3 Qxg2
6...Nxf6 7.d3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.Qf3 Qf6 6.Qxf6 Nxf6 7.d3 Bb4+
5...d6 6.c3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.d3 d6 6.c3 dxc3 7.Nxc3 c6
5...d6 6.c3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.O-O d6 6.c3 dxc3 7.Nxc3 Be7
6...Nxf6 7.O-O
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.Qf3 Qf6 6.Qxf6 Nxf6 7.O-O d6 8.d3 Be6
5...d6 6.Qf3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.O-O d6 6.Qf3 Nf6 7.d3 Be7
5...d6 6.Qf3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.d3 d6 6.Qf3 Nf6 7.Bg5 Be7
Intermediate · Elo 400 – 600
Opponent's mistake · 5.Nxf7
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Nxf7 Qxg2 6.Rf1 Qxe4+
5...Qf6 6.Qxf6
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.c3 Nxf3+ 5.Qxf3 Qf6 6.Qxf6 Nxf6 7.d3 c6 8.Bg5 h6
5...Qf6 6.Qe2
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.c3 Nxf3+ 5.Qxf3 Qf6 6.Qe2 Bc5 7.O-O d6 8.d3 Qe7
4...Qg5 5.Bxf7+
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxe5 Qg5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 6.O-O Qxe5 7.Bxg8 Rxg8 8.c3 Ne6 9.d4 Qf6
6...c6 7.O-O
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.c3 dxc3 6.Nxc3 c6 7.O-O Nf6 8.d4 d5
7...Nf6 8.e5
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.c3 dxc3 6.Nxc3 c6 7.d4 Nf6 8.e5 d5
5...d6 6.c3
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.d3 d6 6.c3 dxc3 7.Nxc3 c6 8.O-O Be6
7...Nf6 8.Bg5
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.c3 dxc3 6.Nxc3 c6 7.d4 Nf6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.O-O O-O
5...d6 6.O-O
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 4.Nxd4 exd4 5.d3 d6 6.O-O Nf6 7.Bg5 Be7 8.Nd2 O-O
Frequently asked questions
Is the Blackburne Shilling Gambit good for beginners?
Yes. On OpeningCraft you learn it in these levels: Basic (Elo under 400), Intermediate (Elo 400 – 600). It suits players who like attacks, gambits and open positions.
What traps are there in the Blackburne Shilling Gambit?
OpeningCraft teaches 7 traps and opponent mistakes in this opening, for example: Deadly mate (5.Nxf7); Deadly mate (6.Bxg8); Opponent's mistake (5.Nf3).
How many lines of the Blackburne Shilling Gambit do you need to learn?
OpeningCraft teaches 21, in blocks of 5. They come from real Lichess games at each rating band, and the traps and opponent mistakes most common at your level come first.