Go back
The Latvian Gambit destroys all!

The Latvian Gambit destroys all!

Only Chess

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by petrosianpupil
Do you mean 6...Kf8?

And this is equality?

It seems to me that black gets a poor position.
Yes - I did mean 6...Ke8. Practice shows that black can reach equality.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Dutch Defense
As soon as I finish a game, I will challenge you to play me against the Latvian Gambit.
Ok, from today. You challenged me to a game. I moved, you moved, you deleted it. One minute later you challenge me again. Four minutes later you delete the game. What exactly is your damage??

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Dutch Defense
The Latvian Gambit strikes again!
You should've posted your win using the gambit so we can evaluate your claim for ourselves. As far as I know the Latvian Gambit is only played by weak players against weak players.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by arrakis
You should've posted your win using the gambit so we can evaluate your claim for ourselves. As far as I know the Latvian Gambit is only played by weak players against weak players.
You`re not informed too well. Or do you think that Boris Spassky is weak player?

4 edits
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by giantrobot
Ok, from today. You challenged me to a game. I moved, you moved, you deleted it. One minute later you challenge me again. Four minutes later you delete the game. What exactly is your damage??
I think you deleted the games because I didn't. 😕 I'll challenge you now to a game. 😀

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Korch
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.Nc4 fxe4 5.Nc3 black are nort obliged to play 5...Qg6 (which i really dislike for black), but for example 5....Qf7 or even 5...d6.
But I have seen many games in which after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.d4 d6 5.Nc4 fxe4 6.Nc3 Qg6 black have got good position after opening even against stronger players.
I stand by what I said before. The Latvian Gambit is probably not unsound in the sense there is any direct tactical refutation, but it is positionally suspect after 3.Nxe5. Tony Kosten was widely mocked in the GM fraternity (notably by John Nunn) for writing two books on the opening, generally recommending it as viable for black, without ever being prepared to play it himself. I am unaware of any strong GM who has played it in a serious OTB game in recent times. Someone mentioned Spassky. I seem to remember a game in which Spassky destroyed Mikenas in very quick time, but Spassky was playing white!

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Northern Lad
I stand by what I said before. The Latvian Gambit is probably not unsound in the sense there is any direct tactical refutation, but it is positionally suspect after 3.Nxe5. Tony Kosten was widely mocked in the GM fraternity (notably by John Nunn) for writing two books on the opening, generally recommending it as viable for black, without ever being prep ...[text shortened]... ber a game in which Spassky destroyed Mikenas in very quick time, but Spassky was playing white!
I agree that Latvian gambit isnt too solid opening from positional point of view, but this opening is strongly underrated. The fact of not using it by GMs isnt serious argument - in the beginning of 20th century almost no one of top players used such kind of openings like Nimzo-Indian. Kings-Indian and even Sicilian had reputation of unsolid opening 🙂

Here is game of Spassky in Latvian gambit
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1128428

Game in which was overplayed young Fisher
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044024

GM Jonny Hector is using this opening sometimes ( unfortunately in chessgames there are only one his game in this opening)
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1430444

In this game untitled player (Grivainis became ICCF GM later) got winning position against GM Evans due to opening, but let him out and lost 🙁
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1367835

Vote Up
Vote Down

My last few games playing the Latvian Gambit have either been draws or losses. 🙁
Game 3288726
Game 3292663
Game 3285351
Game 3223515
Game 3259295

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Dutch Defense
My last few games playing the Latvian Gambit have either been draws or losses. 🙁
Game 3288726
Game 3292663
Game 3285351
Game 3223515
Game 3259295
Brrrr..... you are playing simply horrible.

1) After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 black must reply 3....Qf6 not 3....Qe7
2) After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Bc4 the best is 3....d5, because playing 3...Qg5 is too risky. but you must know theory very vell, othervise better dont play this opening at all.
3) After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. exf5 e4 4. Qe2 Qe7 5. Nd4
Nc6 6. Nxc6 dxc6 7. g4 the best is 7...h5.

1 edit
Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Korch
Brrrr..... you are playing simply horrible.

1) After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 black must reply 3....Qf6 not 3....Qe7
2) After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Bc4 the best is 3....d5, because playing 3...Qg5 is too risky. but you must know theory very vell, othervise better dont play this opening at all.
3) After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. exf5 e4 4. Qe2 Qe7 5. Nd4
Nc6 6. Nxc6 dxc6 7. g4 the best is 7...h5.
I have a book on almost all of the variations of the Latvian Gambit called "The Latvian Gambit Lives!". I know the 3...Qe7 variation very well. During [gid]Game 3223515 [/gid], instead of 15...c6, I should have done 15...d6. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Bc4 is called the Poisoned g2 Pawn Variation. Pretty much the whole game until my 15...c6 blunder move was that variation.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Dutch Defense
I have a book on almost all of the variations of the Latvian Gambit called "The Latvian Gambit Lives!". I know the 3...Qe7 variation very well. During [gid]Game 3223515 [/gid], instead of 15...c6, I should have done 15...d6. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Bc4 is called the Poisoned g2 Pawn Variation. Pretty much the whole game until my 15...c6 blunder move was that variation.
I know theory of Latvian Gambit very vell and I know these lines you are playing and I can say that they are too risky even for Latvian gambit.

Vote Up
Vote Down

Originally posted by Dutch Defense
I have a book on almost all of the variations of the Latvian Gambit called "The Latvian Gambit Lives!". I know the 3...Qe7 variation very well. During [gid]Game 3223515 [/gid], instead of 15...c6, I should have done 15...d6. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Bc4 is called the Poisoned g2 Pawn Variation. Pretty much the whole game until my 15...c6 blunder move was that variation.
Yes, that game with me:

Game 3223515

c6 lost immediatley. However, even after 15 ...d6 things are not rosy. Since you have the book read the first paragraph of Ch7 (p117) a couple of times. There's a reason the pawn is 'poisoned'

Better is either:

3. Bc4 b5 4. Bb3 fxe4 or 3. Bc4 fxe4 4. Nxe5 d5

Vote Up
Vote Down

Game 3316819 is in progress so, NO COMMMENTS PLEASE! 😀
Game 3320443 is also in progress so, NO COMMENTS PLEASE! 😀

Vote Up
Vote Down

Game 3302617 🙂