With gambits, pawns are left hanging to entice the other player to take the pawn. If you take the pawn, the gambit has been accepted. If you do not take the pawn, the gambit has been declined.

At least that's how I understand it.

When referring to the name of the opening, this doesn't always apply. After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bb6 declines the pawn, and is called "Evan's Gambit declined". 4. ... Bxf2+ declines the pawn, but doesn't have a name.

Well then Octal, what would be a more precise explanation of the difference between accepted and declined?

A gambit can be more than just one pawn. There are some gambits where a player gives up two or three pawns, or even a piece. But you've got the general idea. Accepting the offered material is usually known as the accepted line of the gambit, while refusing to take it is usually the declined line.

I'd say Octal's example is more of a countergambit, though that particular line doesn't have a name. But offering your own gambit instead of accepting a gambit by your opponent is usually called a countergambit, as in responding to the Queen's Gambit with the Albin Countergambit or responding to the King's Gambit with the Falkbeer Countergambit.

--Fromper

If a pawn is offered(for capture) and then taken it's accepted. Declined obviously means the offer was refused.

Hey, it looks like Ketchuplover has the same understanding that I have.

Ketchuplover,

You might want to read the last couple of posts that explain why our understanding isn't exactly correct. But I'd say it is good enough for the person asking the question.

I'd expand the answer by saying that the gambited pawn was accepted (taken) or declined (not taken), just to make it a little more clear.

Take note also that queen's gambit is not a real gambit, in a sense that you can get back the material that has been lost(the captured pawn).

I'd wanted to say that too, but black can hang on to the extra pawn. It's not very safe to do so but he actually can. However, it's not very popular at all to do so (leads to immense complications sometimes), but black can make it a real gambit. He rarely does so however.

Huh, I never know that. I rarely play d4, and my response to it is KID. But from my understanding in the QGA

1. d4 d5
2. c4 dxc4
3. e4

If black tried to hang with the with the pawn with 3...b5, then white would do, 3.a4 and if 4...c6(4...a6 will never be much use as the a6 pawn will be pinned anyway), then 5.b3. After 5..c4xb3 6.axb5 cxb5 7. Bf1xb5+, with Qd1xb3 to follow, white will regained his pawn with interest?