I think the simple Nimzowitsch Gambit with c6 as explained in Foxy 119 - Anti-Gambit Guide 1 1.e4 - Martin is good for Black

As someone who regularly plays the King's Gambit from both sides of the board nowadays, I think most theoretically critical has to be 2...exf4 3.Nf3 g5 and 3.Bc4 Nc6 intending 4.Nf3 g5, since against 3.Nf3, 3...h6 and 3...d6 narrow down Black's options if White chooses a Quaade/Rosentreter approach with Nc3 and d4 followed by g3, which I currently regard as White's most promising against 2...exf4 3.Nf3 g5.  I no longer trust 2...exf4 3.Nf3 Nc6, however, because of the line 4.d4 g5 5.d5, and have thus abandoned it in favour of 3...g5.

I think the Hanstein Gambit approach with Bc4, Nf3, 0-0, d4 and c3 might suffice for dynamic equality in the lines where White plays an early Qa4, and I've had some wild games from the black side where White has instead expanded on the queenside with b4 and a4, though some other sources (including some much stronger players than I) think Black is better.

In my opinion the Kieseritzky with 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 is sound but in my opinion is hard to generate winning chances against 5...Qe7 or 5...d6, while if Black wants to play for a win, 5...Nf6 and even 5...Nc6 are good.  The Allgaier (5.Ng5) is tricky but White probably falls a fair way short of full compensation for the knight after 5...h6 or even 5...f3!?.

In the tricky Mason Gambit with 3.Nc3, I would advise against the traditional main line with 3...Qh4+ 4.Ke2 d5 and instead suggest 4...Ne7 or 4...Qe7.

If Black would rather settle for an equal game, not as wild as the ...g5 lines but still with decent winning chances for both sides, then the best practical choice would be a Modern Defence via 2...d5 3.exd5 exf4 (in view of the line 2...exf4 3.Bc4 d5 4.Bxd5, which I think is harder for Black to level the chances against).  Of course you could combine 3.Nf3 d5 with 3.Bc4 Nc6 but then you'd have to be prepared to play the black side of the Hanstein Gambit following 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Nf3.

I usually play
1.e4 e5
2.f4 Nc6
3.Nf3 f5!?

Some of the lines lead to Latvian Gambit positions.

RdC wrote on 12/04/13 at 01:23:22:


Is the player perchance a ginger?

Our club's theory hacker  has been taking on the local Kings Gambit "experts" with 2. .. exf4 and 3. .. g5. So far he's making it look like a forced win for Black. What seems to happen in his games is that a critical position will be reached where his opponents have to find an "only" move with everything else losing. In his most recent game he was able to play an idea first tried successfully by Anderssen back in the 1860s .

Here's the precedent game



His opponent tried to improve on White's play with 14. Kf2, sacrificing the exchange. It didn't really work.

Plyo wrote on 12/02/13 at 18:39:04:


I studied the King's Gambit carefully when I adopted 1..e5. It's rather fun to analyze. And man, I love to face it as Black. Sorry to interrupt your quest for GM norms and international domination, but you have A LOT of theory to overturn before you make a realistic claim that the KG is 100% sound. It's absurd to attack Fischer's article as nonsense, especially given the time it was written. He had a lot of good ideas. The Fischer Defense has a large number of transpositions, so it would be a massive claim to refute the whole complex. A large part of the article covered variations associated with the Bishop's Gambit, which is now close to virtually refuted (for White!). Well at least Fischer gave variations to advance theory. I guess your tip is to shut on Houdini. Thanks, could you give at least one refutation hint to show what an awesome analyst you are?

I would agree with a statement that the Queen's Gambit is "100% sound," but I can't fully embrace an unstable opening where soundness is justified by complicated forced draws. You can claim it's a good practical weapon, but that's not what I consider soundness in the opening. You are not the only player in the world to discover the power of Houdini by the way...

To claim Black should play 1...Nc6 to avoid the King's Gambit is pretty funny. I've actually thought about 1...Nc6 as a surprise weapon, but the non-2.Nf3 lines are so good for Black after 1...e5, that it doesn't make much practical sense to me. 1...e5 has a lot of scarecrows, but once you confront them, they don't hold up to closer scrutiny so well. Of course, you're no scarecrow and this is completely different from what's happened a thousand times in the past. I guess you are making a smart move not to reveal any analysis in this regard. Good luck!

Wow. Thats quite a list, Plyo. And such an anger... Wonder where that fits in with your:

Humility before the fact...?

Anyway. KG isnt that great if your opponent has, say,  2200+ rating ( and been out there before) . I can think of several GM`s  that has given it up along their way... Of course it can be used as a suprise weapon, but not as an attack to depend on for sure. As far as I know, that is.

To call what Fischer found "Utter nonsense" is a bit.. well childish, maybe.  I understand you like the KG. Then, why not try it in some corr-games, and then we will talk...?

Ben