(Or
"Come and Have a Go if You Think You're Hard Enough")
- by Stephen Luck -
Disclaimer:
The author accepts no responsibility for accuracy of the following
or the effects of employing the information contained within this
outline of the Bc4 variation of the King's Gambit, or King's Bishop
Opening.
[Mmm? This isn't inspiring confidence Steve! - Ed]
Bibliography
The
vast majority of this resume is based on the Foxy Openings video
by Andrew Martin, "Surprise your opponents with the ultra-dangerous
3.Bc4! in the King's Gambit."
Additional
material has been lifted from Stewart Reuben's, "Chess Openings,
Your Choice"(1993);"The Gambit", Yudovich M.(1989);"The
Complete Encyclopedia of Chess Openings" C33 (1997);BCO2
(1992) and "Winning Quickly With White",
Why
play this garbage?
As
a true patzer one must rationalize two diametrically opposed concepts.
That while chess is best enjoyed from a winning or won position,
as a patzer losing is the most common option. So what is the solution?
Join
the local snakes and ladders league?
Cheat,
or bribe opponents?
Play
opponents who are even more hopeless?
Develop
a prostate problem and keep rushing to bog to consult Fritz 5
on a laptop (see 2.)?
Buy
every chess book and computer on the market and set up a chess
shop that keeps you so busy that playing is no longer an option?
No.
Think again!!!
Chose
an opening repertoire so bizarre and reckless that even when losing,
great fun can be had by forcing your opponent to play your type
of game. On winning the occasional game, great joy is to be had
in regaling members of your Club with tales of staggeringly deep
and finely calculated sacrificial play, outstanding tactical brilliancies
etc.
Slightly
more seriously:
Relevant
quotations:
"....it
is an excellent weapon in your armory up to grade 150", Reuben,1993.
"
A weapon of incomparable danger........................................."
BCO2.
"
Its s**t, but I can't refute it." R.J.Fischer (paraphrased
by author).
"C'est
pire qu'un crime,c'est une faute."- it is worse than a crime,
it is a blunder (not really about the execution of Duc d'Enghein,but
about anyone who plays 3...Qh4+ against the King's Gambit.)
A
taster of the type of game to be had: Blackpool Congress (U100 Section)
1996.
1.e4
e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4
(Opponents
usually either rattle out their next move as though they have
seen this "rubbish" before and don't give a damn, or
think for a minute or so and then play the most obvious and common
move) Qh4+.
Other
likely moves are 3....d5(b),Ne7(c) and Nf6(d)[see below for
these continuations]
Some
opponents have even bottled it at move 2. and will decline the
gambit with 2.d5,Bc5 or Qh4+ and occasionally the Nimzowitsch
Counter-Gambit .The best lines of attack against these wimpy attempts
to thwart the King's Gambiteer's fun are given later.
(it
is now a matter of personal preference whether you pause here
and go into grimace/ head-slapping/I didn't think of that mode,
or a wry smirk and calmly play they only move) 4.Kf1
[If you want the theory straight away, see (a) below]
(this
is all tried and tested theory: White will gain a tempo against
Black's Queen with Nf3 and the centre with d4 and Nc3.The f4 pawn
is nearly always regained and a strong attack is in the offing!
Not being able to castle is of little significance as White's
development is so rapid and the fun is under way).
Bc5
(threatens mate in 1 on f2! It is at this point you know that
your opponent has never seen this opening before and the next
move wins the centre)d4 Bb6 6.Nf3 Qf6 7.Nc3 (threatens
to leap into d5) c6 8.Ne2 (Fritz5 gives this as equal,
but White looks better).
The
rest of the game is only included for its' amusement value;
d6 9.c3 Ne7 10.Bxf4 h6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Bxe5 Qg6 13.Nf4 Qh7 14.Nh5
f6?
15.Bxf6
Bg4 16.Nxg7+ Kd8 17.Ne6+ Bxe6 18.Bxe6 Rf8 19.Bh4 Rf4 20.Qe2 Re4
21.Qc2 Qg6 22.Bxe7+ Kxe7 23.Bb3 Nd7 24.Qxe4+ Qxe4 25.Re1 Qxe1+
26.Kxe1 Re8 Kd6 28.Bc2 Bc7 29.g3 Nb6 30.Bb3 a5 31.a4 Nd7 32.Re1
Rf8? 33.Re6++
Alright,
Black played terribly, but who cares?! White achieved the twin
goals of, having all the initiative and all the fun.C33 gives
a number of games which generally diverge at Black move 7.(Greco
G.-N.N. 1620 6....Qh6 and White won on move 11.).
Now
some theory.
Main
Lines:
The
theory section will be very limited, mainly because most patzers
cannot remember theory, but also because many of the lines in this
opening diverge very quickly (so if you are a 1.d4 merchant, who
fires out your first ten moves like a robot on speed then go away
and annoy someone else).
Either
: Black grabs the f pawn (most common) or has a pet way of declining
the gambit. So the theory is pretty simple.
Know
what to do if the pawn is taken and Black gets in the Qh4+ move.
Know
what to do if Black takes the pawn but doesnt play Qh4+.
Have
a basic knowledge of the ways in which Black avoids 1. And 2.
Above.
(a)
3....Qh4+ 4.Kf1 After White's King has stepped to the right
one square Black will play;
4.
|
....
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d6
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or
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....
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Nf6
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or
|
....
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g5
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5.
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Nf3
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Qh5
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Nf3
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Qh5
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Nc3
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Ne7
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6.
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Nc3
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c6
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Qe1
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d6
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d4
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Bg7
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7.
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d4
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g5
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e5
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dxe
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g3
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fxg
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8.
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h4
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Bh6
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Nxe5
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Be6
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Kg2
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d6
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or
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....
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Qh6
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9.
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Nxg5
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Qxd1
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Nxf7!
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Qe7
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hxg
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Qg4
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hxg
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Qg6
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10.
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Nxd1
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Bxg5
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Bc8
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Be2
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Qd7
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Nf3
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h6
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11.
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Nd5
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Nxd5
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12.
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exd5
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O-O
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13.
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d6
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Qxd6
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14.
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Bxg5
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hxg5
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15.
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Qd3
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Re8
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16.
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Bxf7+
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Kxf7
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17.
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Nxg5+
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Ke7
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18.
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Rae1+
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So
the idea is that although white has given up the right to castle,
rapid development creates a quick attack and excellent control
of the centre. Deep theory is not needed as positions are hair-raising
and continuations are best worked out over the board - think for
yourself!
(b)
3..... d5
4.
|
exd
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Nf6
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or
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....
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Qh4+
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5.
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Nc3
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c6
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or
|
....
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Bd6
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Kf1
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Bd6
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6.
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d4
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cxd
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or
|
....
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Nxd5
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Qc2+
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Qc7
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Nc3
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Nc7
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7.
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Bb5+
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Nc6
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Qc2+
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Bc7
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QxQ
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BxQ
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Nc4
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0-0
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8.
|
Bxf4
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Bd6
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|
Nxd5
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cxd
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|
d4
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Bd6
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or
|
....
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g5
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|
d4
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Nd7
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9.
|
Nge2
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0-0
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Bd7
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Nb5
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Nb5
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h4
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Nxd6
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cxd6
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10.
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0-0
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Bxf4
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Bxd7+
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Nxd7
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Bb3
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11.
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Bxf4
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Bg4
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Nh3
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0-0
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c4
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12.
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Qd2
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Bxe2
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0-0
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Bf6
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Nf3
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13.
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Bxe2
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Qb6
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c3
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g5
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14.
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Rd1
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Rad8
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Qf3
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Nb6
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15.
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Bd3
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Ne7
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g3
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Qd7
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16.
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h3
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Ng6
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Qh5
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17.
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Rf2
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Rfe8
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4.exd
differs from the usual Bxd5 and prevents black from kicking the
white bishop and gaining tempo.
(c)
3..... Ne7
4.Nc3
c6 5.Qf3 Ng6 6.d4 Bb4 7.Nge2 O-O 8.O-O Qf6 9.e5 Qe7 10.Bxf4 Nxf4
11.Nxf4
(d)
3..... Nf6
4.
|
Nc3
|
Bb4
|
|
|
|
or
|
....
|
c6
|
5.
|
e5
|
d5
|
or
|
....
|
Bb4
|
|
d4
|
d5
|
6.
|
Bb5+
|
c6
|
|
e5
|
Ne4!
|
|
exd5
|
cxd5
|
7.
|
exf6
|
cxb5
|
|
Kf1!
|
Bxc3
|
|
Bb5+
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Bd7
|
8.
|
Qe2+
|
Be6
|
|
bxc
|
Qh4
|
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Bxf4
|
Bd4
|
9.
|
Qxb5+
|
Nc6
|
|
Qf3
|
Ng3
|
|
Bxd7!
|
Nbxd7
|
10.
|
Nf3
|
Qxf6
|
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hxg
|
Qxh1
|
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Nge2
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11.
|
Qxb7
|
Rc8
|
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Bxf4
|
|
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Qd3
|
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12.
|
Nxd5!
|
|
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0-0
|
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|
This
variation can cause white a few headaches and needs careful analysis
as the pin on the Nc3 allows black to develop quickly and to put
white under some pressure. Nevertheless, although black's moves
appear logical with accurate play by white the attack comes to
very little.
The
Falkbeer Counter Gambit and other pathetic attempts to spoil the
party.
Every
Kings Gambiteer must be prepared for Black to deviate on
move 2.There are a variety of so-called busts of the KG or pet
methods of avoiding a head on collision.In the FCG black offers
a pawn of his/her own in an effort to gain rapid development and
emphasize how silly f4 is as a move.
1.e4
e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5
The
Nimzowitch Counter-Gambit:
1.e4
e5 2.f4 d5 3.exd5 c6 4.Nc3 (dxc6 only helps Black) exf4
Black
is not interested in the gambit pawn but gets on with development.
This variation favours White if an end-game is reached.
The
Classical Defence
1.e4
e5 2.f4 Bc5
The
Kings bishop is on a very good square,but white can build
an aggressive centre with c3 and d4 but at the expense of development.
Other
odd variations include second moves such as; Nf6,Qh4+ and d6.
None of which should worry the Kings Gambiteer who is worth
his salt.
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