In short: A gambit in reply to a gambit: instead of accepting the offer, you offer a pawn yourself.
In a gambit, one side offers a pawn to gain time and the initiative. The side that gets the offer can accept the pawn or decline it. But there is a third answer: to offer a pawn yourself, and take the initiative instead. That is called a countergambit.
The Falkbeer Countergambit
Against the King's Gambit, 1. e4 e5 2. f4, Black can answer 2... d5. In the 1800s the Austrian master Ernst Falkbeer found that Black need not take the f-pawn but can strike back with a sacrifice of his own.
After 3. exd5 e4 Black gets quick development, but 4. d3 gives White a slight advantage, and the line became rare. Read more on the page about the King's Gambit.
The Albin Countergambit
Against the Queen's Gambit, 1. d4 d5 2. c4, Black can answer in the same spirit with a pawn sacrifice of his own: 2... e5.
More countergambits
The Latvian Gambit, 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5, was originally called the Greco Countergambit, after the Italian player Gioachino Greco of the 1600s. There it is Black who sacrifices, although White hasn't offered anything first. The names don't always follow any logic, which is why it is the moves that count. Read about compensation, what you hope to get for your pawn.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Falkbeer?
Ernst Falkbeer was an Austrian master of the 1800s. He found that Black could answer the King's Gambit with a pawn sacrifice of his own.
Are countergambits any good?
It varies. After 3. exd5 e4 in the Falkbeer Countergambit, 4. d3 gives White a slight advantage, and today Black more often plays 3... c6.
Updated November 14, 2026