Play the doodinthemood gambit

Someone in another thread asked about this. It's my favourite opening as white, and even though I'm likely to stop playing 1.nf3 soon, I will still look to transpose into it, and will remember it fondly. Some of you may be aware that the first three moves are actually claimed by Tennison, but nobody's really heard of him, and almost all my continuations are different from his, so if you are going to play any of these lines, you are playing the doodinthemood gambit.

Necessary:
1. Nf3 D5
2. E4! DxE4
3. Ng5

If inferior move 3... f5???
4. Bc4
wins back pawn with e6 Bxe6 QxN, BxB
or more likely (and more fun)
4... Nh6
5. Nxh7! Rxh7
6. Qh5+ Kd7
7. Qg6 Rh8
8. Be6+
1-0

If developping passive move, like Nc6, then Nc3, Bc4 and Ngxe4 before 0-0 gives ok game.

If ever knight is attacked, take the pawn.

If 3... Qd5
4. d4 exd3
5. Bxd3 and 0-0 else 5... Qxb2?
6. Be4!!
1-0
Main line:
3...Bf5
4. Nc3 Nf6
5. Bc4 e6
6. f3 exf3
7. Qxf3

f3 is the move that nobody else looked at. It is fun.

If 7...c6
8. Nxf7! Kxf7
9. Qxf5! Qe7
10. Ne4 and white is having fun.

If 7...Nc6
8. Nxf7 Kxf7
9. Qxf5 Nd4
10. Qd3 and Ne4 and c3 typically happen. White may not win but he is enjoying himself.

Hope you found something of interest here. A lot of my considerations are completely ignorant of first-choice fritz moves. This is because over the board, nobody finds them. This is a hideously flawed opening if you're opponent plays correctly, so please don't bother pointing out all the little flaws, but do feel free to ask what I'd do if the opponent did something different to what I've written, and I'll give you what I usually played in games.

Do play it. You'll claim some scalps quickly, and have a lot of fun.

Example game. Me vs. J. Anderson (2007 school match)

Here is a reason to not play it. (I have with white.)

I often played 1.Nf3 if I knew I was going to get 1...d5.

I would then play 2...a4 I think it's called the Meadow Hay.

You then play it as though you had the Black pieces.
Scored a lovely win it once v a good player.

The Dood Gambit - Hmmmmm - think I'll leave that one out of the rep for a while.

I'm not ready for that yet.

While you are Budapesting with white, 1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 c5 3.e4 dxe5 4.Ne5 is another fun one.
In fact, 4. ... Qd4 which seems to win can actually cost black the queen. 🙂

3...e5
4. Nxe4 f5
5. Nbc3
Setting the trap similar to kings gambit, but it looks different enough that many people would still fall for it.
5... Be6
6. Ng3 Bc5
7. Qf3 and white is having a laugh.
Black would usually fall for
7... e4???????
8. Ngxe4!!!! fxe4
9. Qh5+
1-0

Originally posted by paulbuchmanfromfics
While you are Budapesting with white, 1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 c5 3.e4 dxe5 4.Ne5 is another fun one.
In fact, 4. ... Qd4 which seems to win can actually cost black the queen. 🙂

I was always under the impression that this was called the Litisin Gambit, maybe I'm just misremembering though. Interesting gambit nonetheless.

This is widely known as the Tennison gambit where I'm from.

Yeah I think you're right. I remembered after I posted that the Litisin Gambit (I think) is 1. Nf3 f5 2. e4!? , but was too lazy to fix it at work.

I did say that this is known as the Tennison, but that pretty much all continuations are novelty...

Originally posted by doodinthemood
Someone in another thread asked about this. It's my favourite opening as white, and even though I'm likely to stop playing 1.nf3 soon, I will still look to transpose into it, and will remember it fondly. Some of you may be aware that the first three moves are actually claimed by Tennison, but nobody's really heard of him, and almost all my continuation ...[text shortened]... 16.O-O-O Rhf8 17.Qg3 g5 18.Rde1 Kg8 19.Bxe6+ Kh7 20.Nxf6+ Nxf6 21.Bf5+ [/pgn]
Resigns.

3... e5
4. Nxe4 and you get a playable middlegame. No instant ideas, but a good tactical player will find some interest still with the e-file more open than it usually is.