"wonder what GP's first Greco Counter gambit was like?"
Not a brilliant game, but back then I was not a brilliant player ( 🙂 )
Database shows p.60 w. 45! D 6 L 9 with the Latvian.
(two of the draws are from GM simuls v Shamkovich and Aagaard - they don't really count.)
I started playing it because I saw in it described as an opening for exciting
players who are not afraid to take a risk.
The losses were real hammerings, one mistake against a good guy and bang.
The majority of wins were in the 70's early 80's. Then I booked up
on it and saw what a load of crap it was. (true). The worse thing I ever did
was open a book on the Latvian.
Before then it was all made up OTB - which was what my opponents were usually doing.
(I have a 100% - touch wood - record as White v the Latvian. P.3 in serios OTB games.)
D. Kelly - G. Chandler BAOR Championship, 1973
Funnily enough I can remember this game, I can cleary recall sitting there,
what he looked like and even some of my thinking.
Sometimes I cannot even remember what I was doing last week.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exf5 Nc6 5. Bb5 Nd4 6. Nxd4 exd4 7. Ne2 a6 8. Ba4 b5 9. Bb3 c5 10. c3 c4 {White gets 3 pawns for a piece.} 11. Bxc4 bxc4 12. Nxd4 Bd6 13. O-O O-O 14. g3 Bb7 15. b3 Qc7 16. bxc4 Ne4 {No doubt planning to double whack on g3.} 17. Qb3 Kh8 {I spotted that one. (18.c4+)} 18. f4 {Now I play hunt the Queen to shuggle my bits into a position to get the King.} 18... Nc5 19. Qb1 Be4 20. Nc2 Rfb8 {And why this Rook and not the a8 Rook? It has a sloppy reason.} 21. Bb2 Nd3 22. Nb4 {Because if the a8 Rook was b8 then White would have the threat of Nxa6 here. But it does not matter because....} 22... Qc5+ {Whte resigned.}
First time OTB Latvian
29 Aug '12 22:391 edit
