Gambits

How many of you play gambits in correspondence chess? I play both the Benko and a kings gambit and I am wondering do I have to be ultra precise or can I just play as I play it ITB?

Basically, is it harder to play gambits successfully in correspondence chess than OTB?

Originally posted by zebano
How many of you play gambits in correspondence chess? I play both the Benko and a kings gambit and I am wondering do I have to be ultra precise or can I just play as I play it ITB?

Basically, is it harder to play gambits successfully in correspondence chess than OTB?

It is.
But the real and interesting gambits are not during the opening, but in the middle game, at least for me.

Where can I learn about gambits? I am a basic-level player. All I can do at this point is think one, maybe two or three moves ahead. I assume that means that I will get killed by most good chess players. Where can I learn about making advanced moves like that?

Originally posted by UncleRobb
Where can I learn about gambits? I am a basic-level player. All I can do at this point is think one, maybe two or three moves ahead. I assume that means that I will get killed by most good chess players. Where can I learn about making advanced moves like that?

How to play a gambit:

1. Pick a piece.
2. Any piece.
3. But only among your pieces.
4. Find somewhere it can move where it will be taken.
5. And you can't take back.
6. Move it there.

You've gambitted a piece.

Originally posted by UncleRobb
Where can I learn about gambits? I am a basic-level player. All I can do at this point is think one, maybe two or three moves ahead. I assume that means that I will get killed by most good chess players. Where can I learn about making advanced moves like that?

Difficult to tell. I played gambits from the beginning on. At the beginning with less success, later with a bit more.

What I learned during the time, be patient and do not sacrifice just because you like to do it. I usually think not much more moves in advance than you, it is rather a feeling, and that you probably can get best by playing.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
How to play a gambit:

1. Pick a piece.
2. Any piece.
3. But only among your pieces.
4. Find somewhere it can move where it will be taken.
5. And you can't take back.
6. Move it there.

You've gambitted a piece.

Hilarious.

More realistically, try this.

1. Look at the position, are there any tactics? If so play them, the ones that threaten or achieve mate are usually better.
2. Look at it positionally. Are your minor pieces better/worse than your opponensts, how about your pawn structure. Is there an easy way to improve this.
3. Can I take the initiative and at least conduct the game instead of following?

Thats the basis of my planning. Naturally I have to be able to get something for my gambits. The benko is a long lasting initiative. The kings gambit is less of an initiative, but it is a classical center and the possiblity of a king-side attack should black misstep (this goes both ways).

Thanks for the informative responses to my embarassingly simple question. I hope I'm not dumbing down this forum too much. I realized I have a lot to learn because I didn't even understand z's response. Evaluate pawn structure? If they aren't cracked, that's good - right?

A definitions and some clarification for you

Initiative = controlling the game. Your opponent is responding to your moves not the other way around. Sometimes no one has the initiatives.

Pawn structure - yes cracked is usually bad (there are exceptions to every rule). If you traded off all the pieces and left only the kings and pawns, could you win the resulting endgame? Another thought is how much of the center do you control? If it is locked, can you attack on a wing? A bishop is generally good/bad by how many squares it influences. If you bishop is on c1 and there are pawns at b2 and d2, your bishop cant get any worse. OTOH if it is outside your pawn chain and unattackable it's probably good.


I havn't looked at your games, but make sure you know enough tactics so that you arn't dropping pieces/pawns. After that read "How to Reacess your Chess" by Jermey Silman, AFAIK it is the best introduction to these concepts available.