Thanks. I guess 12.e5 d6 13.Nd5 Qg7 14.exd6 cxd6 15. Bb5+ is yet another unresulved mess, or does it resolve to a draw or worse? Seems to me that, against the King's Gambit, plying into an unresolved mess is giving White the kind of game he wants.

Do you also have a game or analysis with 11. Bxe7 instead of Bf4?

Now that your book is out you can tell us what you recommend for Black against the "Allgaier" gambit 6. Ng5. (I ordered a copy of the book but I guess it will take weeks to get here.)

The running comments below the vid are pretty funny. If SF can have no sense of shame or regret, could SF ever judge itself as having blundered? (not serious, BTW).

A recent video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYLecpgvYhc

Stockfish v Leela Chess Zero
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 h5 4.d4 g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng5 f6 7.Bxf4 fxg5 8.Bxg5 Be7 9.Qd2 d6 10.Nc3 Be6 11.Bd3 Bxg5 12.hxg5 Nd7 13.0–0 Qe7 14.Nb5 0–0–0 15.Qc3 c6 16.Nxa7+ Kb8 17.Nxc6+ bxc6 18.Qb4+ Ka7 19.Qa5+ Kb8 20.Ba6 Ka7 21.Rad1 Ra8 22.Qc7+ Kxa6 23.Qxc6+ Ka7 24.Rd3 Kb8 25.Rf5 Ra7 26.Rb5+ Nb6 27.Rxb6+ Rb7 28.Rxb7+ Qxb7 29.Qxd6+ Qc7 30.Qxe6 Ne7 31.Rb3+ Ka7 32.Ra3+ Kb8 33.Qa6 Qc6 34.Qa7+ Kc8 35.Qxe7 Re8 36.Ra8+ Qxa8 37.Qxe8+ Kb7 38.Qxa8+ Kxa8 39.g6 h4 40.g7 h3 41.g8Q+ Kb7 42.Qg7+ Kc6 43.c4 h2+ 44.Kh1 g3 45.b3 Kd6 46.c5+ Kc6 47.Qa7 Kb5 48.Qa4# 1-0

Source?

Thought you guys might be interested in this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpWCSu58xmU&t=72s

Or maybe most of you have already seen it. I have surmised that with Rapd Chess becoming more and more prominent we should expect a sharp uptick in KG games. Even an ole skeptic like me is seriously considering giving it a go. 

Worse, I'm missing 3.Nf3 g5 4.Nc3 Nc6, ie the best reply to the Quaade. Probably critical is 5.g3 g4 6.Nh4 f3 7.d4 Be7 and two corr games (all players had ratings between 2340 and 2400) ended with draws. You can find more here:

https://www.ianchessgambits.com/kings-gambit-3nf3-g5.html

You can find the Wagenbach Defense on that site too  .

How come nobody's talking about Daniel King's latest Chessbase DVD - The King's Gambit for White?

I would have thought tongues would be wagging by now.

bof wrote on 02/23/20 at 09:53:22:


Some time this year probably, as and when I've finished it.

And it'll be full of bad openings...

1 e4 e5 2 Bc4 f5
1 e4 e5 2 Nc3 Nc6 3 Bc4 f5
1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Bc4 f5
1 e4 e4 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Qh4
1 e4 e4 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Nc3 Bc5
1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 4 Ng5 d5 5 exd5 b5

and such like

bof wrote on 09/29/19 at 01:14:24:


Not as much as that. A refutation would have to be a clear advantage by force. Though any advantage is notable, given that White has no advantage after 2 f4.

no

10 Bc4 Bxg5 11 hxg5 Qe7 12 0-0 Be6 13 d5 Bc8 14 Qc3 Qe5 15 Qxe5+ dxe5 16 Nc3 is another nice line for White, swapping queens off a piece down!

That's it from me for now though. I'm not going to say any more at the moment, since the Wagenbach forms a chapter in a book I'm writing about disreputable openings for Black (with 1 e4 e5). I do have an idea, but I don't want it refuting before the book is finished

So the Silverclaret Gambit has been known since 2008, right? If poor Silverclaret blew the attack on move 13, I'm sure I couldn't have done any better. I haven't even figured out how the Quote function works, much less how to play chess.

I don't have any notes at hand right now, but my feeling when analyzing was that the position is better for White than it first might look. In many lines, Qe3 is a strong move, threatening e5 amongst many things. Interestingly, Stockfish seems to be a bit better to predict the best move than Lc0. The best I could find for Black was actually an unpleasant rook ending, which I suspect is lost or close to it. I'll try to post concrete lines later when I have access to my files.

But I think Bc4 is better than long castling. IIRC, against most Black's moves, White don't need to castle long, but goes short or at least keeps that option, as Bof points out.

Edit: Sorry, I wrote the post on my phone. Bc4 is obviously not good after ...Be6 (it was a variation where Black played ...g3 instead of ....Be6), but instead of 10. Nc3, just like bof mentioned. The point about long castling is still valid. White should wait with castling.

bof wrote on 09/16/19 at 01:37:00:


Wholly incorrect play would be more accurate . One game (from 2006) went 8...Be7 9 Bc4?? Bxg5 10 hxg5 Qxg5 and so on. The other was a bit more interesting...

[Event "ChessWorld.net"]
[Date "2008.??.??"]
[White "silverclaret"]
[Black "tsmenace"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C34"]
[PlyCount "46"]
[EventDate "2008.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 h5 4. d4 g5 5. h4 g4 6. Ng5 f6 7. Bxf4 fxg5 8. Bxg5 Be7 9. Qd2 d6 10. Nc3 Be6 11. O-O-O Nd7 12. Bd3 Nf8 13. e5 d5 14. Na4 b6 15. b3 c6 16. Rhf1 Kd7 17. Rf2 Kc7 18. Rdf1 Nd7 19. Ba6 Bxg5 20. hxg5 Qe7 21. g6 Rd8 22. Kb2 Kb8 23. Qc3 c5 0-1

In this game 13 e5?? was just wrong; whereas 13 d5! Bf7 and then 14 e5 is probably winning for White. Naturally, I'm looking to improve earlier.

I found the 1906 game in Colin Leach's booklet KGA: Allgaier and Kieseritzky. That game is now online, in the comments to this chess stack exchange post . . . oops, I see I'm not allowed to create links. Well, you can easily find it if you search the chess stack exchange for Wagenbach.

I guess the reason nobody looked at 8.Bxg5 for the first couple centuries (before 3...h5 was invented) was because it was preceded by two successive inferior moves: 5.Ng5 h5? 6.d4? Why dig deeper into 6.d4 when you've got 6.Bc4!

I stumbled onto 8.Bxg5 myself, kind of hoping it would go into the books as my one contribution to chess, but when I PMed Jonathan Tait he informed me that he has faced it twice, winning both times because of inaccurate play by White.

I guess the computer evaluation means White has a big advantage at the machine vs machine or GM vs GM level. (Is that what "God Member" means? God Member = GM?) Down here at the fish vs fish level I guess the better/luckier player will win, whoever makes the next to last mistake. When I play White against the machine from that position, needless to say the machine always wins.

I know of two games with 8.hxg5, none with 8.Bxg5. (Jonathan, could you post your games in this line, or are they already posted in this thread or your blog?) The two 8.hxg5 games I know of, both by transposition from the Allgaier and both won by Black, are Cotter-Von Bruehl, London 1788, and Weiss-von Gompers, Vienna 1906.

bof wrote on 09/10/19 at 23:19:33:


I'm certainly interested , but I'm only just back from holiday. I'll reply properly when I've got more time.

That game Stockfish won really is a thoroughly surrealist masterpiece

btw, the reason I revisited this thread today is because I just downloaded the games Stockfish-Leelenstein games from CCC 9: The Gauntlet Final and was very surprised to see two Wagenbachs in there

[Event "CCC 9: The Gauntlet Final (10|5)"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2019.07.11"]
[Round "180"]
[White "Leelenstein"]
[Black "Stockfish"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C34"]
[PlyCount "136"]
[EventDate "2019.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 h5 4. d4 g5 5. Bc4 h4 6. h3 d6 7. Nc3 c6 8. Qe2 Bg7 9. Bd2 a5 10. O-O-O b5 11. Bd3 Na6 12. Rhe1 Kf8 13. Qf2 Rh5 14. Kb1 Nb4 15. Be2 d5 16. a3 dxe4 17. Nxe4 Nd5 18. Bd3 b4 19. a4 Bf5 20. Bc1 Ra7 21. Qf1 Bxe4 22. Rxe4 Re7 23. Qe2 Qe8 24. Re1 Bf6 25. Ne5 Rh8 26. Bc4 Kg7 27. Bb3 Nh6 28. Qa6 Re6 29. Qxa5 Nf5 30. Rd1 Bd8 31. Qa6 Bb6 32. a5 Nxd4 33. Rexd4 Bxd4 34. Nxf7 Qxf7 35. Rxd4 Rd8 36. Qd3 Re1 37. Re4 Rxe4 38. Qxe4 Ra8 39. Qd4+ Qf6 40. Qc5 Qd8 41. Qxc6 Qxa5 42. c3 Ne7 43. Qd6 Ng6 44. Qd4+ Kh6 45. Qxb4 Qf5+ 46. Bc2 Ra1+ 47. Kxa1 Qxc2 48. Bxf4 gxf4 49. Qb7 Qd3 50. Ka2 f3 51. Qxf3 Qxf3 52. gxf3 Kg5 53. b4 Kf6 54. b5 Ke6 55. Kb3 Nf4 56. Kc4 Nxh3 57. Kd4 Nf4 58. Ke3 h3 59. Kd2 h2 60. b6 h1=Q 61. b7 Qb1 62. b8=R Qxb8 63. Kc2 Qb5 64. c4 Qxc4+ 65. Kd2 Ke5 66. Kd1 Qe2+ 67. Kc1 Nd3+ 68. Kb1 Qb2# 0-1

[Event "CCC 9: The Gauntlet Final (10|5)"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2019.07.11"]
[Round "179"]
[White "Stockfish"]
[Black "Leelenstein"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C34"]
[PlyCount "168"]
[EventDate "2019.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 h5 4. d4 g5 5. Bc4 h4 6. Nc3 d6 7. h3 Bg7 8. O-O c6 9. Qe1 Nh6 10. Ne2 Nd7 11. c3 Nb6 12. Bd3 Be6 13. a4 Nd7 14. a5 a6 15. Qd1 Rg8 16. Kh1 Qe7 17. Nxg5 Qxg5 18. Nxf4 Qe7 19. Qa4 Bf8 20. Bd2 Rg3 21. Qc2 O-O-O 22. d5 Bxh3 23. Nxh3 Nc5 24. Bc4 Qxe4 25. Qxe4 Nxe4 26. Bf4 Rg8 27. dxc6 bxc6 28. Bxa6+ Kb8 29. Kg1 Ka8 30. Nf2 Nc5 31. Be2 d5 32. Rae1 Nf5 33. b4 Ne6 34. Ng4 Nxf4 35. Rxf4 Rg5 36. Bd3 Nd6 37. Nf2 Rh5 38. Rg4 Bh6 39. Re2 Bg5 40. c4 f5 41. Rd4 Ne4 42. cxd5 cxd5 43. Bc2 Rhh8 44. Bb3 Kb8 45. Nxe4 dxe4 46. Rxd8+ Rxd8 47. Be6 Bd2 48. Bxf5 e3 49. g3 hxg3 50. Kg2 Rg8 51. Be4 Rg4 52. Bd3 Rd4 53. Bg6 Rxb4 54. Kxg3 Rb5 55. Kf3 Rg5 56. Bd3 Rd5 57. Be4 Rh5 58. a6 Rh3+ 59. Kg4 Rh8 60. a7+ Kxa7 61. Bd3 Kb6 62. Kf3 Rf8+ 63. Ke4 Kc5 64. Rg2 Kd6 65. Be2 Rf6 66. Rg5 Rf7 67. Rg6+ Kc5 68. Rg5+ Kb4 69. Rb5+ Kc3 70. Rc5+ Kb2 71. Rb5+ Kc2 72. Rc5+ Kb3 73. Rc8 Rf2 74. Rb8+ Kc2 75. Rc8+ Kb2 76. Rb8+ Kc3 77. Rc8+ Kb4 78. Kd3 Rf6 79. Rb8+ Kc5 80. Rc8+ Kb6 81. Bg4 Rf4 82. Be2 Rf7 83. Kc4 Rf2 84. Kd3 Rf7 1/2-1/2

Score: 1½-½ to Black

Jonathan Tait wrote on 12/10/16 at 11:17:21:

I don't like White's 12.h3 - giving away the g3 square like that doesn't seem right. I offer 12.Nd5 Nf5 13.Qe4 Qd7 14.Bc3 Rb8 15.a3 Rh6 16.Rhf1. Maybe a slight edge for White, but it's complicated and Black's moves aren't forced, so probably unclear! I think 12.Nd5 is better than 12.h3 though.

MNb wrote on 01/04/11 at 10:58:53:


yes, but the knight belongs on c3 really

ah right

but actually one of my online opponents may have solved the problem for me in other way:

[Event "ChessWorld.net"]
[Date "2010"]
[White "tsmenace"]
[Black "Magellen"]
[ECO "C34"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 h5 4. d4 g5 5. h4 g4 6. Ne5 d6 7. Nd3 f3 8. gxf3 Be7 9. Be3 Bxh4+ 10. Kd2 Bg5 11. f4 Bh6!?

This is a nice idea; e.g.:

a) 12 Rxh5 Nf6 regains the pawn on e4.
b) 12 Bg2 h4 — and with the Rh8 concealed by the bishop, the further ...h4-h3 is annoying.
c) 12 Nc3 is met by 12...Bg7! and 13...Nc6 targeting d4.

But if White doesn't play Nc3 then Black can set up with ...Qe7, ...Nc6, ... Bd7 and ...0-0-0, when he seems to have no trouble at all.

It looks like I might have to play 12 Kc1, so as to defend the d-pawn by (12...Bg7) 13 f5 and 14 Nf4, but obviously White would rather develop the a1-rook before retreating the king.

breizatao wrote on 12/28/10 at 12:49:10:


which line are you talking about?

(obviously Black can't play 12...h4 in tsmenace-samurai)

Paul Cumbers wrote on 12/07/10 at 22:01:07:


Hi Paul

My assessment is currently on hold . It's hard to draw any meaningful conclusions from such small data.

When I get a new Wagenbach tournament started I'll try this out as White and see what turns up

MNb wrote on 12/01/10 at 21:31:52:

I just had to check

The nearest I could find was:

[Event "Hoogovens"]
[Site "Beverwijk"]
[Date "1952"]
[Round "9"]
[White "Donner, Jan Hein"]
[Black "Kramer, Haije"]
[Result "½-½"]
[ECO "C29"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. f4 d5 4. d3 Bb4 5. fxe5 Nxe4 6. dxe4 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Qh4+ 8. Ke2 Bg4+ 9. Nf3 dxe4 10. Qd4 Bh5 11. Ke3 Bxf3 12. gxf3 Qe1+ 13. Kf4 Qh4+ 14. Ke3 Qe1+ 15. Kf4 ½-½


MNb wrote on 12/01/10 at 21:31:52:

And you would be correct.

Returning to this:

1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 Nf3 h5 4 Bc4 h4 5 Nc3 d6 6 d4 g5 7 e5 Bh6 8 0-0 h3!? 9 g3 Nc6 (Fournier), the following game ended in a draw:

[Event "ChessWorld.net"]
[Date "2010"]
[White "tsmenace"]
[Black "samurai"]
[Result "½-½"]
[ECO "C34"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 h5 4. Bc4 h4 5. Nc3 d6 6. d4 g5 7. e5 Bh6 8. 0-0 h3 9. g3 Nc6 10. exd6 cxd6 11. gxf4 gxf4 12. Kh1 Nf6 13. d5 Ne5 14. Qd4 Qb6 15. Bxf4 Qxd4 16. Bb5+ Ke7 17. Nxd4 Bxf4 18. Rxf4 Rg8 19. Be2 Rg2 20. Bf3 Rg6 21. Re1 Bd7 22. Nd1 Re8 23. Ne3 Kd8 24. Rg1 Reg8 25. Rxg6 Rxg6 26. Be2 Ng8 27. c4 Kc7 28. b3 Rf6 29. Rf1 Kb6 30. b4 Rxf1+ 31. Bxf1 Nf6 32. Ndf5 Bxf5 33. Nxf5 a5 34. a3 Ne4 35. Nxd6 axb4 36. axb4 Nxd6 37. c5+ Kc7 38. cxd6+ ½-½

On the other hand, I got crushed in this game (obviously I wasn't really playing Donner):

[Event "ChessWorld.net"]
[Date "2010"]
[White "JHDonner"]
[Black "tsmenace"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C34"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 h5 4. d4 g5 5. h4 g4 6. Ne5 d6 7. Nd3 f3 8. gxf3 Be7 9. Be3 Bxh4+ 10. Kd2 Bg5 11. f4 Be7 12. Nc3 f5 13. Bg2 c6 14. Qe2 Kd7 15. Rae1 Kc7 16. Kc1 fxe4 17. Nxe4 Qf8 18. d5 Bd7 19. f5 cxd5 20. Nc3 Nc6 21. Nxd5+ Kc8 22. N3f4 Bxf5 23. Nxh5 Bd7 24. Qc4 Qd8 25. Nb4 d5 26. Nxd5 Bd6 27. b4 Kb8 28. Bf4 Bxf4+ 29. Qxf4+ Kc8 30. Ng7 Rxh1 31. Rxh1 Nge7 32. Rh8 1-0

I always seem to get smashed when I play ...f7-f5 in the Wagenbach. In this case maybe it's not so bad if Black follows up with ...Bf5 (at move 17-18). Whereas after 19 f5! it was just dreadful.

TalJechin wrote on 07/14/10 at 13:12:46:


several reasons:

1) I don't play CW games as correspondence games.
2) I moved too quickly.
3) The win/draw was quite subtle and concerned a single tempo.

[Event "www.ChessWorld.net"]
[Date "2010.??.??"]
[White "tsmenace"]
[Black "Aethelbald"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C34"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 h5 4. Bc4 h4 5. d4 g5 6. Nc3 Nc6 7. d5 Na5 8. Be2 Bg7 9. Qd3 d6 10. b4 g4 11. Nd2 h3 12. g3 f3 13. Bd1 Nf6 14. bxa5 Nd7 15. 0-0 Ne5 16. Qe3 c6 17. a6 bxa6 18. dxc6 Nxc6 19. Nb3 Rb8 20. Nd5 Bxa1 21. Nxa1 Be6 22. Nb3 Ne5 23. Nd4 Bxd5 24. exd5 Rb7 25. Nc6 (this turns out to be far more difficult than I'd anticipated) 25...Qb6 26. Nxe5 dxe5 27. c4 Qxe3+ 28. Bxe3 Rb2 29. Rf2 Rb1 30. Rd2 Kd7 31. Kf2 f5 32. c5 Rb4 33. a3 Rc4 34. Bb3 Rc3 35. Rb2 Rb8 36. Ba4+ Kc8 37. Bd7+ Kc7 38. Rxb8 Rc2+ 39. Kf1 Kxb8 40. Bxf5 Rxh2 41. Bxg4 Re2 42. Bg5 Rg2 43. Bxh3 Rxg3 44. d6 Rxg5 45. c6 Rg8 46. Kf2 Rf8 47. Bf1 e4 48. Bxa6?? Rc8! 49. Bb5 a6! ½-½

due to 50 c7+ Rxc7 51 dxc7+ Kxc7 52 Bxa6 Kb6 and White cannot make progress; whereas 48 Ke3 wins, e.g. 48...Rc8 49 c7+ Rxc7 50 dxc7+ Kxc7 51 Kxe4 Kb6 52 Kd4 Ka5 53 Kc3 Ka4 54 Kb2 etc.

Paul Cumbers wrote on 07/13/10 at 16:01:45:


Hi Paul

I'm playing the White side of 6...d6 7 e5 in my ChessWorld thematic tournament (mentioned above) and Black has gone 7...Bh6 8 0-0 h3 9 g3 Nc6 (see Fournier/Bücker above), probably following this very thread. It doesn't actually look too bad for Black.

As for 6...Nc6, what would you play after 7 d5 Na5 8 Be2 - ? I had this as White in my last CW thematic and gained a massive position (which I blundered to a draw right at the end).

Hadron wrote on 07/09/10 at 03:05:43:


you're right, it often is — but working out whether it is in any particular position depends on analysis

Jonathan Tait wrote on 07/02/10 at 18:29:17:

The first highlighted variation: 13...Rh7 14.Qxc4 Re7 15.b3! may in fact be good (15.Qd5 Rg7! 16.Qd3 Ne7 17.Nd4 Kg8, about =)

The position after 16...Qg4: I am glad that your optimism is back. It seems I have exaggerated, White cannot win back the piece by force. However, after e.g. 17.Rf3 h3 18.Re1 Bd7 19.Bxc7 Black's problems are quite serious.

But the line in reply #6 should be OK:
(1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 h5 4.Bc4 h4 5.d4 g5 6.0-0 d6 7.Nc3 Bh6 8.e5) "8...Nc6 9.Re1 Kf8, but White is better after 10.e6 fxe6 11.Bxe6 (or 11.d5) Bxe6 12.Rxe6 Qd7 13.d5 Nd8 14.Re2 +=."

14...Rh7 15.Qd3 (15.Ne4 Qf5) Re7, almost =.

(edit: But 11. d5 Na5 12.Bf1 e5 13.b4 g4 14.Nd2 Nc6 15.dxc6 bxc6 is a mess.)

Jonathan Tait wrote on 07/02/10 at 12:29:12:

However, after 13...Qf6 (above), there can follow: 14.0-0 Rh7 15.Nxg5! Qxg5 16.Bxf4 (or 16.Rxf4), wining back the piece with a nice plus (+/-).

Hello breizatao. In your line 13.Bxf4! Bxf4 14.Rae1+ wins. However, 9...Nc6 10.exd6 cxd6 11.d5 Qb6+ 12.Kh1 Ne5 looks sound. White has a slight plus (13.Bb5+; 13.Nxe5), but not more.

Quote:


The tournament was a thematic tournament of the Northern Lights Chessclub by postal chess.

In your game: 12...Qxd1 13.Raxd1 Rh5 14.Bxh4 Kg8 15.Bg3 Nd7 followed by Nb6 seems interesting.

I play at www.chessworld.net, but I am not premium. If you want to play a thematic game on Wagenbach Gambit, you can challenge me. My nickname is breizatao. 

breizatao wrote on 07/01/10 at 13:04:30:


Thanks for this — it's now entered my database . What tournament was it?

As you say, 9...Ke8 was a mistake; instead 9...Qxg5 10 Bxf4 Qg4 11 Be5+ Nf6 12 Bxf6 and now Black has mostly played 12...Bg7; e.g.

[Event "www.ChessWorld.net"]
[Date "2009.??.??"]
[White "barri"]
[Black "tsmenace"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "C34"]

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 h5 4. Bc4 h4 5. d4 g5 6. 0-0 d6 7. Nc3 c6 8. Bxf7+ Kxf7 9. Nxg5+ Qxg5 10. Bxf4 Qg4 11. Be5+ Nf6 12. Bxf6 Bg7 13. Be5+ Kg8 14. Bxd6 h3 15. Qxg4 Bxg4 16. e5 hxg2 17. Rf2 Nd7 18. Re1 Be6 19. Ne4 Rh4 20. Be7 Rg4 21. h3 Rg6 22. Rxg2 Rxg2+ 23. Kxg2 Bd5 24. Kg3 Kf7 25. Bg5 Bxe4 26. Rxe4 Ke6 27. Rg4 c5 28. c3 cxd4 29. cxd4 Rh8 30. Be3 Bf8 31. Rh4 Rxh4 32. Kxh4 Kf5 33. Kg3 Ke4 34. Bf2 Bh6 35. Kg4 Nf8 36. h4 Bc1 37. b3 Ne6 38. h5 a6 39. a4 Ng7 40. Bg1 Bh6 ½-½

White did well to draw this endgame, though maybe Black could improve somewhere.

But it's not the critical line since White castled on move 6, instead of playing 6 Nc3 and 7 e5.

linksspringer wrote on 06/30/10 at 16:15:27:


Okay then , quoting Thomas Johansson from that site:

Quote:


Exactly so.

Quote:


Johansson gives an "old main line" 4.d4 g5 5.Bc4 h4 6.0-0 d6 7.Nc3 c6 8.Nxg5 and a "positional main line" 4.Bc4 h4 5.b3 – though I'm not sure (several years on) that either of these is really dangerous for Black. The critical line seems to be: 4.d4 g5 5.Bc4 h4 6.Nc3 (by whatever move order) 6...d6 7 e5, forcing through in the centre before Black is ready (after ...c7-c6) to answer it with ...d6-d5.

A few games:

[Event "correspondence thematic"]
[Date "1998.??.??"]
[White "Tait, JA."]
[Black "Nightingale, Darrell"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C34"]

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 h5 4.Bc4 h4 5.Nc3 d6 6.d4 g5 7.e5 Bg4 8.Qe2 Be7 9.e6 f5 10.h3 Bh5 11.Qd3 Nh6 12.d5 O-O 13.Bd2 a5 14.O-O Na6 15.Bxa6 Rxa6 16.Rae1 Bf6 17.Nb5 Qe7 18.Nbd4 Be8 19.Kh1 c5 20.Nxf5 Qh7 21.Nxh6+ Qxh6 22.e7 Rf7 23.Qf5 Ra8 24.Qe6 1-0

[Event "correspondence thematic"]
[Date "1998.??.??"]
[White "Nightingale, Darrell"]
[Black "Tait, JA."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C34"]

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 h5 4.Bc4 h4 5.d4 g5 6.0-0 d6 7.Nc3 Bh6 (7...c6) 8.e5 (i.e. 6.Nc3 d6 7.e5 Bh6 8.0-0) 8...Bg4 9.Qe1 Ne7 10.exd6 cxd6 11.Nxg5 Bxg5 12.Ne4 Qb6 13.Bxf7+ Kxf7 14.Nxg5+ Ke8 15.Rxf4 Bc8 16.c4 h3 17.Be3 Rg8 18.Qf2 Qa5 19.Rf7 Nbc6 20.Bd2 Rxg5 21.Rf8+ Kd7 22.Bxa5 Rxg2+ 23.Qxg2 hxg2 24.Bc3 d5 25.h4 dxc4 26.h5 b5 27.h6 Bb7 28.Rxa8 Bxa8 29.h7 Ng6 30.Kxg2 1-0

[Event "www.ChessWorld.net"]
[Date "2008.??.??"]
[White "taquin"]
[Black "tsmenace"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C34"]

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 h5 4.Bc4 h4 5.d4 g5 6.Nc3 d6 7.e5 Nc6 8.Qe2 dxe5 9.d5 Nce7 10.Nxe5 Bg7 11.Bd2 Qd6 12.Ne4 Qxe5 13.Bc3 Bg4 14.Qd3 Qf5 15.Bxg7 Rh7 16.Bb5+ Kd8 17.d6 Nd5 18.h3 c6 19.hxg4 Qxg4 20.Bc3 f5 21.Nf2 Qh5 22.Ba5+ Nb6 23.Bc4 Nh6 24.0-0 g4 25.Qd4 h3 26.Qf6+ Kd7 27.Be6+ Ke8 28.Rfe1 1-0

Any suggestions for Black?

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I guess that's a "no" then