Before answering to your question, I have to say that 1...Nc6 is correct against the Bird ... but all the other first black moves are also playable


FusterCluck wrote on 04/22/07 at 07:09:33:



As noted before, in this variation you've just transpose in a well-known variation of the From gambit (1.f4 e5  2.fxe5 d6  3.exd6 Bxd6  4.Nf3 Nc6). It is certainly not the best variation for Black in the From but not the worse neither. So why not playing your move order if you are well prepared on this variation.

Because I think that against 1...Nc6 most of Bird players would play 2.Nf3 without any thought. White should play e4 only when Black has played ...d6.


If White really wants to benefit from your move order, maybe the moves 1.f4 e5  2.fxe5 d6  3.e4!? should be played (or 3.Nf3 dxe5  4.e4) and then White would be able to play Bb5, which is a good variation acording to Danielsen. 

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Isn't it more of an 'improved' KG than a good From? As black has played Nc6 before Bc4,making 5.Bf1-b5 possible... (At least, Danielsen seems to be scoring well in similar positions in his blitz games at VideoChess. So maybe the inclusion of fe5 de5 doesn't hurt white, though it's quite unusual via a KG a move order...)


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Bangiev has played something similar against the Scandinavian, i.e. 1.e4 d5 2.ed5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.f4 - but with your move order you get the chance for Qd6 instead of Qa5 I suppose. 
However, I doubt most whites will even be considering 2.e4 at all...

If white is hoping for e5 and a KG he could perhaps consider 1.f4 Nc6 2.Nc3!? I guess 2...d5 is critical and then either 3.e3, 3.Nf3 or 3.d4 according to taste and level of acceptable risk... 

A question for Bird players as well as Nimzowitsch players.  After 1.f4 Nc6 i want to know black's best practical chance to play for the win.  I have an interesting system i'd like opinions on.


If white plays the Bird move Nf3 black can play a nice variant of From's Gambit

2.Nf3 e5!? 3.fxe d6 4.Nc3 dxe
Here the Nc6 appears to give black an improved version of From's declined because it supports the capture dxe.

2.Nf3 e5 3.fxe d6 4.exd Bxd6
Black has a nice choice of a plan involving a Bg4 pin followed by Nd4/e5 or the simple 0-0 followed by a push of the f pawn.


If white aims for an immediate King's gambit i believe this system refutes it on the spot!

2.e4 d5! 3.exd Qxd5 
Black has a nice scandinavian where white is exposed and black can castle queenside with lead in developement and total king safety. 

2.e4 d5 3.e5 Bf5
Again black can castle queenside with a lead in developement and this time he also has a target on c2 as well as kingside threats.

2.e4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe 4.Nxe4 Nf6
Declining the offer leaves white exposed with an f pawn that seems to serve no purpose.



How many bird players will wait till the 3rd move to enter the King's gambit?

2.Nf3 e5 3.e4 f5!?

Black can keep things unorthodox and play this Tony Miles recommendation.  This variant is claimed to give equality, but may be hard to play for the win.  This would also mean that black has to be prepared to play 3 different systems in order to try and get an advantage after 1...Nc6, which is a lot of work for an opening i don't face very often.   

The Tony miles system is much more complex than the two i described.  If white can rarely be expected to play the delayed king's gambit it may be more practical to just study the 2 systems i mentioned.  Or, it may be more logical to just play 1.f4 Nc6 2.e4 e5 and assume most opponents will play 3.Nf3.  This would mean i have 2 ways of transposing into the Miles system, but then i have no use for the excellent 1.f4 Nc6 2.e4 d5!.  What to do?