Only Chess
08 Jan 08
08 Jan 08
Originally posted by ih8sensIt may or may not be sound, but my problem is that after 1.e4, which you see in maybe 45% of your games, you play 1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6. And in about 60% of the games in this position, white plays 3.Bb5, and in the games where you do get to the Two Knights there's a fairly good chance that white plays some stupid side option.
Traxler is sound! Don't let anyone tell you otherwise 😛.
08 Jan 08
Originally posted by cmsMasteragreed
It may or may not be sound, but my problem is that after 1.e4, which you see in maybe 45% of your games, you play 1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6. And in about 60% of the games in this position, white plays 3.Bb5, and in the games where you do get to the Two Knights there's a fairly good chance that white plays some stupid side option.
08 Jan 08
2 edits
Originally posted by ivan2908Here are my recommendations, an entire repertoire of gambits: 🙂
I would like to learn some gambit openings (not too risky or unsound ones). Where should I start? (Except 1. d4 d5 2. c4 which is hardly gambit at all 😛). I am looking them especially for blitz OTB games...
As white:
QG or KG, both are great choices, I think you should try the KG - it's a really great option at your level:
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 (Or 3.Bc4)
1.e4 e6 (The stupid French!) - I recommend the Advanced, aiming for the Milner-Barry Gambit - 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3!? cxd3 7.cxd3 Bd7 8.O-O Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Nc3
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3!? dxe4 4.Ng5 - I'm not sure this is really that sound, but I don't know many gambits against the Caro-Kann...and I want all of these to have gambits. 😛
1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 - Smith-Morra
I don't know any gambits against the Pirc, so I'm ignoring that one for now. Besides, the Pirc is too awesome to even try a gambit against. 😛
As Black:
1.e4 e5, aim for the Schliemann/Traxler
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5!? - The Benko Gambit.
There you go, a whole bunch of gambits, and they're pretty sound.
Oh yeah, I just thought of another really awesome gambit against 1.e4 - The Elephant Gambit!! 🙂
1.e5 e5 2.Nf3 d5!? Here are a couple possible lines:
3.exd5 Qxd5 (I think this is definitely blacks best option) 4.Nc3 Qc5
or the more trying
3. Nxe5 Bd6 4. d4 dxe4 5. Bc4 Bxe5 6. Qh5 Qe7 7. Qxe5 Qxe5 8. dxe5
Also...against the French you could try the Reti Gambit, which I've used pretty often (at least when I played 1.e4 often). It's a very sound gambit:
1.e4 e6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2!? dxe4 4.Nc3 - White usually regains the pawn, or great initiative.
08 Jan 08
1 edit
Originally posted by cmsMasterMilner-Barry is just good for Black I'm afraid to say.
....
1.e4 e6 (The stupid French!) - I recommend the Advanced, aiming for the Milner-Barry Gambit - 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3!? cxd3 7.cxd3 Bd7 8.O-O Nxd4 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Nc3
....
Actually, as a French player I'm not sad to say that at all.
Most gambits against French should be not too good in theory ... though I've just lost to one so I know as well as anybody that in practice they can be tricky.
That said, Milner-Barry may be one of the best known gambit lines against the French but it's also one of the worst.
09 Jan 08
Originally posted by JonathanB of LondonWhy don't you go ahead and post a line that proves that.
Milner-Barry is just good for Black I'm afraid to say.
Actually, as a French player I'm not sad to say that at all.
Most gambits against French should be not too good in theory ... though I've just lost to one so I know as well as anybody that in practice they can be tricky.
That said, Milner-Barry may be one of the best known gambit lines against the French but it's also one of the worst.
09 Jan 08
1 edit
Originally posted by ivan2908For OTB I recommend you something like that:
I would like to learn some gambit openings (not too risky or unsound ones). Where should I start? (Except 1. d4 d5 2. c4 which is hardly gambit at all 😛). I am looking them especially for blitz OTB games...
Game 3669286
Knowing that 40% of openings in amateur OTB are the Italian, I think it would be a great gambit against players that you think they don't know this poisoned trap, and obviously, you can use psychological tactics like let the time running after the Knight takes the hook pawn and before you do your Qg5! move, making to the oponent the believe that you are completely blundering the game.
Good luck 😉
09 Jan 08
2 edits
Originally posted by ivan2908Kings Gambit (1. e4 .. e5, 2. f4) is a great place to start. It is usually accepted and hardly refuted below GM level.
I would like to learn some gambit openings (not too risky or unsound ones). Where should I start? (Except 1. d4 d5 2. c4 which is hardly gambit at all 😛). I am looking them especially for blitz OTB games...
You will have some great games, amazing tactics and good wins. You also avoid a lot of the theory surrounding Ruy Lopez and other common overly analysed openings although you will need something to meet 1. e4 .. c5. I play the Morra Gambit (1. e4 .. c5, 2. d4 .. cXd, 3. c3 .. dXc, 4. Nc3) here which is less sound than the Kings Gambit but can get some useful results against less tough opposition and the odd surprise against better players.
09 Jan 08
1 edit
Originally posted by Dragon FireI never played KG because the open kingside scares me a bit. But I will try to learn it. Thanks, DragonFire !
Kings Gambit (1. e4 .. e5, 2. f4) is a great place to start. It is usually accepted and hardly refuted below GM level.
You will have some great games, amazing tactics and good wins. You also avoid a lot of the theory surrounding Ruy Lopez and other common overly analysed openings although you will need something to meet 1. e4 .. c5. I play the Morra G ...[text shortened]... t some useful results against less tough opposition and the odd surprise against better players.
09 Jan 08
2 edits
Originally posted by cmsMasterWow you did great job with collecting all those lines in this post. I will look at all of them to find gambits I like! Thanks cmsMaster !
Here are my recommendations, an entire repertoire of gambits: 🙂
As white:
QG or KG, both are great choices, I think you should try the KG - it's a really great option at your level:
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 (Or 3.Bc4)
1.e4 e6 (The stupid French!) - I recommend the Advanced, aiming for the Milner-Barry Gambit - 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 .e4 e6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2!? dxe4 4.Nc3 - White usually regains the pawn, or great initiative.
EDIT: To aGoRessivE too, nice trap, I will try it as soon as today 😛
09 Jan 08
Originally posted by cmsMasterCertainly dear sir,
Why don't you go ahead and post a line that proves that.
In the most recent Play the French, Watson gives
10. ... a6 and 13. .... Bc5 as leading to Black's advantage
but I see no reason, especially in correspondence chess, not to take the second pawn with
10. ... Qxe5, 15. ... Bc6 and 18. ... Ng4
(Play the French 2)
These are main lines and well known so you can find the missing moves in many places.
If you seriously want to play the Milner-Barry you're going to have to overturn a lot of theory that suggests it just aint that good.
Of course, it's a very reasonable strategy to ignore a theoretical evaluation in exchange for attacking chances (at amateur level) if that's how you like to play but that doesn't challenge the fact that it's dubious