Sleepyworker wrote on 04/03/08 at 19:07:29:


I disagee. 1.g4 d5 2.Bg2 Bxg4 3.c4 dxc4! 4.Bxb7 Nd7 is a very promising sacrifice.  I wouldn't want to be White there.  Further I rather suspect that Black can simply hold his pawn, with advantage.

What is so dangerous about the Myers Opening (also called the Basman Gambit)? Even Bangiev/Leisebein, writing for the Opening Encylopedia 2006 (two players with an interest in unorthodox openings himself, by the way), admits that 1.c4 g5 2.d4 is objectively better for White. They might not state it in black and white, but looking at the games, White's advantage is obvious.

On another note, 1.g4 c5!? is also an interesting Anti-Grob line. It certainly gives Black a large degree of flexibility in how to meet White's unorthodox play. After 2.Bg2, Black simply plays 2...Nc6, varying his setup depending on what White plays. To be honest, I don't see any edge for White whatsoever, although after 3.c4, he shouldn't be any worse either.

I have heard that 1.g4 h5 2.gh5 e5! is supposed to be good for Black, although he has to be careful not to get the rook sidelined on h5. Then again, playing ...Nf6-h5 should avoid this issue.

I think this line with 2...dxe4 3 Nc3 Qd4 is way too compliant: White ends up with a reversed 4 Qd5 Englund Gambit where the extra tempo helps White.

Stefan Bucker provided analysis, suggesting that Black can steer the game into channels where the move g2-g4 is a hindrance to White and Black ends up with a large advantage, you can find it here:
http://www.chesscafe.com/text/kaiss29.pdf

White's best responses are probably 2 Bg2 and 2 h3, though probably with a slight edge for Black if Black develops normally and shores up the long diagonal.  I'm not averse to playing dubious openings myself, and have little doubt that the Grob can work in the hands of unorthodox players below master level, but the Grob certainly isn't my style.

Anyway, much of this is moot because when I play Black, I meet 1 g4 with 1...e5, with ideas of developing quickly and throwing in Ne7-g6, h5 etc. at appropriate monents.  In my opinion this is no worse for Black than the standard 1...d5 followed by c6, and chances are White won't be as prepared for it.

Ironically, my most recent experience of this type of opening was in a casual friendly game when someone played the reversed Grob (1 e4 g5) against me.  I continued 2 d4, and my opponent, seeing that the g-pawn was attacked, responded 2...f6 to defend it.  Not a success.

Smyslov_Fan wrote on 03/24/08 at 18:09:18:


That was certainly my first thought.

I would not give 6.f3 a '!' there.  At best I would give it '!?'

It is definitely second best as after 6...exf3 7.Nxf3 Black can mix it up with 7...Qf4 when White should still be better but it is less clear than after the correct move, 6.Qb5+!, e.g. 6...Nfd7 7.Nd5! Na6 8.Ne3! +- or 7...Nc6 8.Nxc7+ Kd8 9.Nxa8 Kc8 10.h3 when White will emerge at least the exchange up.

Perhaps, Lev, you are too 'chicken' to accept this countergambit, hence your advocacy of the inferior 6.f3!?  

Thank you. As it happens, I was looking for the correct recipe to a forced win for White. This will come in handy.