How not to play the Latvian

White brings out his queen too early and moves it twice. Violates opening principles.

Originally posted by homedepotov
White brings out his queen too early and moves it twice. Violates opening principles.

Yes, but sometimes it works. 😀

Originally posted by homedepotov
White brings out his queen too early and moves it twice. Violates opening principles.

Yeah, what an idiot, bringing out the queen so early🙂

Originally posted by sonhouse
Yeah, what an idiot, bringing out the queen so early🙂

He moved the knight twice too. What a mess.

Originally posted by danilop
He moved the knight twice too. What a mess.

Yes, you are right. They are terrible violations of the opening rules of good play. But thank goodness for exceptions to the rules, just like in many other things. 😏

Originally posted by Exuma
[pgn]

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Bc4 fxe4 4.Nxe5 d6 5.Qh5+ Ke7 6.Qf7# 1-0 [/pgn]

I find the best way not to play the Latvian is 2..... Nc6!

I heard that white cannot lose in that variation of the Latvian.

White should avoid playing Bc4 and play one of the many positional lines against the Latvian - JMHO. I find that playing Bc4 falls into playing what type of game black is looking for. All of the positional lines lead to very comfortable games for white.

Do u mean for black?

Originally posted by ketchuplover
Do u mean for black?

"Do u mean for black?"

No, white is the one who stands better in most of the positional lines vs. the Latvian Gambit.

Originally posted by kbear1k
White should avoid playing Bc4 and play one of the many positional lines against the Latvian - JMHO. I find that playing Bc4 falls into playing what type of game black is looking for. All of the positional lines lead to very comfortable games for white.

I am not sure what you mean by positional lines. Instead of 3.Bc4 the only other moves I see worth trying are Nxe5, exf5, or Nc3. Do you consider these moves more positional than Bc4?

Originally posted by RJHinds
I am not sure what you mean by positional lines. Instead of 3.Bc4 the only other moves I see worth trying are Nxe5, exf5, or Nc3. Do you consider these moves more positional than Bc4?

It`s well known and generally accepted that 3.Nxe5 is the most positional and the most testing response to the Latvian. But your ignorance is not surprising.

I'm not biting boys so you might just as well close the thread now.

BTW it's called the Greco Counter Gambit

Originally posted by greenpawn34
I'm not biting boys so you might just as well close the thread now.

BTW it's called the [b]Greco Counter Gambit[/b]

Indeed it is. Harry Golombek names it such in his book, Modern opening chess
strategy. Even if you are not biting dear GP, allow me an indulgence, for although I
have never to my knowledge played it, trying an alternative, to play as Philador
originally intended the defence which carries his name, first anchoring the e pawn with.
. .d6 and then pushing ...f5.