King's gambit book suggestions

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
The KG has a positional plus in that White usually has a very good endgame, with both center pawns intact, and he usually wins back the gambitted pawn as well. Gallagher makes this point in his book, and he cites the endgame plus as a significant reason why the KG made a return to GM practice in the 80's.

Thats true but you will still only have that plus if you know the KG better than your opponent which i find is not easy since most serious chess players know this opening quite well. The plus, if there is one(debateable), is also insignificant unless you are at least a master. I guess my point is that this opening will only cause more problem with time than it will cure.

I agree on that Tom Tom.

If our lad is going to learn a whole new opening to try and cure the TT syndrone
then he may find the cure actually makes things worse.

Something I have never tried but I've seen advised is to record the time taken
on your score sheet for your moves. (Bronstein).
Then you will find out for sure when the time is going.

Originally posted by tomtom232
Maybe. I don't know about that King's Gambit though... its like beating a dead horse its been analysed so much.

GM Simon Williams played the King's Gambit against David Howell at least year's British Championships. Howell went on to become British Champion but couldn't refute the gambit OTB.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
If our lad is going to learn a whole new opening to try and cure the TT syndrone
then he may find the cure actually makes things worse.

Something I have never tried but I've seen advised is to record the time taken
on your score sheet for your moves. (Bronstein).
Then you will find out for sure when the time is going.

With regard to the original query this is entirely true of course. Changing your openings because you get into time trouble is more than a bit of a non sequiter.

I used to get into time trouble very often but rarely do now. If you really want to beat an addiction to zeitnot you have to start, as you say, with finding out where your time is going in the first place.

When I looked at my clock handling I found I was mostly wasting time through dithering and could easily speed up without harming the quality of my play in the slightest.

E.g.
http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com/2008/08/tick-tick-tick-iv.html

Good link and column JB.

Some of the comments after your piece are valuable as well.

I can see the 'Magic 8 Years' causing some discussion.

(start a new thread with it - see what other think).

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Some of the comments after your piece are valuable as well.

I agree - in particular the question of what you're doing for the 50% of the game during which it's not your turn to move.

I very rarely leave the board during a game.

I love playing against these 'leg-stretchers' I've found them to be very
susceptible to the 2 move + 1 trick. (looks like a trap but is infact a good move).

I'll go for a stroll when I'm winning.

My league team mates used to say they were glad when they saw me wandering
around as it meant I had a won game.

Originally posted by JonathanB of London
With regard to the original query this is entirely true of course. Changing your openings because you get into time trouble is more than a bit of a non sequiter.

I used to get into time trouble very often but rarely do now. If you really want to beat an addiction to zeitnot you have to start, as you say, with finding out where your time is g ...[text shortened]... the slightest.

E.g.
http://streathambrixtonchess.blogspot.com/2008/08/tick-tick-tick-iv.html

OK guys i get the message. However my mind works in very mysterious ways and i want to have a go at something different to solve the TT problem. I know a big part of the problem is certainly dithering too long over my move selection but it's invariably because i end up in slow painful looking closed type games.
My personal experience is that i play quicker in open positions. Positions that lead to a result one way or another quicker than " I'LL COUNTER ATTACK ON MOVE 35" type scenarios i'm normally involved in.
I'm gonna give it a go. Who knows?

Anyway, i'm sorted with a good KG book. What about the SMG guys?

Originally posted by tomtom232
The plus, if there is one(debateable), is also insignificant unless you are at least a master. I guess my point is that this opening will only cause more problem with time than it will cure.[/b]

I very much disagree with the first part of this (although the "debateable" part is with GM Gallagher, not me, so I don't think my comment here would add anything to the debate, except that I have found Gallagher's observation to be true in my games, and I am no master), but I definitely agree with the second part. The KG is good and fun to learn and play, but it is definitely not a recipe for relieving time pressure.

Sorry, but I do not have any experience with any SMG books!

Paul