Nasty trap in the Latvian Gambit

Thankyou, Mr Kosten 🙂

Game 6050944

Aye. Good stuff.

The old ones still catch the young ones.

I've popped this out a few times in Latvian Blitz games with a
fair amount of success.

However if White knows that 5.d4 giving up the g-pawn and the
h1 Rook with a check is theory leading to a White plus then you
are in trouble.

Here are the first 9 moves. Then depending on what Black does from
here, ATM theory has White scoring well

Now I really wonder, do you distrust the latvian as much as you do the KG, because I think the latvian is basically unsounder than the KG.

Originally posted by Garnoth
Now I really wonder, do you distrust the latvian as much as you do the KG, because I think the latvian is basically unsounder than the KG.

In the KG White never really threatens to take the e-pawn.
It's a waste of tempo - and is an outright blunder v 2...d5.

1.e4 e5 2.f4 d5 3.fxe5? Qh5+ 0-1 very soon.



In the Latvian Black is threatening fxe4 because it hits
the f3 Knight thus getting back the tempo.

It really is that simple. A question of tempo and the fact that
the f3 Knight is stopping Qh5+.

The Latvian is good fun for under 1800 play.
(I hope this does not turn into another Korch v Northern Lad thread).

I'm always against learning opening moves parrot fashion but in
this, and openings of it's ilk, you MUST know the theory and the traps.

I started playing it because I enjoyed looking at the tricks and traps
for both sides.

It unsettles your opponent on move two, it's often a surprise and
has a terrible (perphaps quite rightly so) reputation at higher levels.

Opening Books not dedicated to the Latvian often give naff lines
quoting games where Black was going to lose no matter what was played.

I have a tremendous score OTB with it....But 100% record OTB
playing against it.

Here is me winning with White in an Allgro game played in 1994.

I sac a piece to keep the King uncastled, sac my QUeen and then
actually miss mate in one, a very simple mate.
Only to get a much more complicated mate,

I remember showing the game in Bells and we kept thinking
I had the score wrong 'cos I missed mate in one.

Note: My opponents Qx2 was meant to stop me 0-0-0 due to
threat of Bg4. I saw the Queen sac and Rhe1+ so went for it.

I think you are looking at the KG in the wrong way. You don't want to take the e pawn, you want him to take your f-pawn so he gives away the centre. It's all about developing quickly and occupying the centre. He loses his e-pawn, get's an f-pawn that white can sometime use as a shield, and give white the oppurtunity to build a strong d4-e4 centre. Most of the times in KGA, black wishes his f-pawn wasn't even there! The fact that white doesn't threaten to take the e-pawn does not make the KG bad, taking the e-pawn is very bad, it's a waste of tempo and a weakening of the kingside.

And the falkbeer is hardly a refutation of the KG, it is thought of as dubious and I can give you some lines that turn out pretty good for white.

Hi,

I was just answering the lad who seemed to think The Latvian
was a KG in reverse and wondered why it was not blasted off the board.

I dare you say you have loads of good lines for White v the Falkbeer.
I see them all in the time in the analysis room.
My opponents showed them to me - after I've won the game.

One guy even took me to the bookstall to show me a book that
clearly states 'White is better' and yet I won as Black.
He was stunned, but he did learn something that day.

+- means nothing if the +- position is being handled by an under 2000
OTB player and the guy defending the +- positon has piece activity
and a brain.

3.d4 is a good move v The Falkbeer player. They don't expect that one.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Hi,

I was just answering the lad who seemed to think The Latvian
was a KG in reverse and wondered why it was not blasted off the board.

I dare you say you have loads of good lines for White v the Falkbeer.
I see them all in the time in the analysis room.
My opponents showed them to me - after I've won the game.

One guy even took me to the boo ...[text shortened]... ity
and a brain.

3.d4 is a good move v The Falkbeer player. They don't expect that one.

Originally posted by Garnoth
You are right of course in the respect that the falkbeer asks for a completely different handling than the KGA, and that a lot of gambiteers simply can't adapt to the new circumstances (AKA play sensibly and more positional chess).

However, as you commented that after e4 e5 Nf3 is objectively the best move in the position, I have to say that 2...d5 is not ...[text shortened]... 😉

But this is again proof of the major significance of psychology, especially in OTB chess!