Go back
Gambit Repertoire

Gambit Repertoire

Only Chess

Vote Up
Vote Down

Hello everyone,
I am just getting back into chess after a long absence. A friend of mine wanted me to teach him to play, and teaching him, I realized how much I loved the game and missed it.
Anyway, I decided that I would use teaching him as an excuse to improve myself. mainly working up through endgame knowledge, but also tactics heavy games. I used to play French, Ruy Lopez, and QGD, but I was thinking I should immerse myself in some possibly questionably sound gambit openings instead for the next few months at least.

I'm pretty rusty on tactics myself, and although I won't be telling my friend anything about openings beyond "develop your pieces, darn it", I want to force games into sharp, tactics heavy lines that force us both to be extra vigilant. And maybe I should adopt some of the more sound ones for general play as well.

tldr :
What openings should I play (for each side) to force the game into very sharp, tactical lines, unsound ones are better, and maybe preferred. Ideal would be things that have unsound variations I could play OTB and slightly different variations that give an equal but sharp, tactical game for correspondence.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Evans gambit.....

Vote Up
Vote Down

King's Gambit, Morra Gambit, Milner Barry Gambit

Vote Up
Vote Down

Halloween Gambit, Cochrane gambit, Blackmar-Diemer gambit and Traxler Gambit too. Don't forget the Albin counter gambit.

Vote Up
Vote Down

The king's own gambit is the gambiest gambit of all. also called the tumbleweed and three sailors I think. Or you can invent your own. As you said, you aren't looking for sound play just crazy caveman stuff.

Vote Up
Vote Down

against 1. d4 you can play a benko. You can play 1. e4 and if 1.e5 then the kings gambit if 1.c6 you can play for the caveman variation(google it. Although it isn't always a gambit it is ultra agressive and many times does include a gambit-and a sound one at that). You can also try a pawn sacrifice in the caro kann exchange variation(just remember the opponent can always decline gambits)

It is actually my creation 1e4, c6 2. d4, d5 3. exd, cxd 4. b-d3 and if n-c6 then 5.N-f3!?.


those are some good places to start exploring.