Stefan Buecker wrote on 05/16/14 at 07:31:38:


I was only able to trace one game with the 6. d4 Qf6 continuation and that was Nunn-Piket from the Melody Amber blindfold in 1995. There may have been some recent ones because of the Shaw book. As the Kieseritzky is not that uncommon over the board, I don't think it is well known to practical 1. .. e5 players by the evidence that hardly any have played Nc6.  Those who have read everything ever published on the Kings Gambit may have a different view.

In a recent ICCF game I had the opportunity to test a recommendation from John Shaw’s King Gambit book.  Larry Dulany (2347)-Kenneth Jones (2240), ICCF Webserver 2014:  1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Nc6!? (“a little known but sound equalizer”, Shaw) 6.d4 Qf6! 7.Nc3 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Qxe5 9.Qxg4 Bb4 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.Bxf4 Qxe4+ 12.Be2 d6 (=, Shaw. Seemed right to me; the 2 B’s and lead in development are just enough compensation) 13.O-O-O Bxc3 14. bxc3 Be6 15.c4!? (15.Bg5 Qxf3 16.Bxf3 Nd7 17.Bxb7 Rb8 18.Bc6 Rb6 19.Ba4 Bxa2 20. Rhe1+ Be6 and while it's still pretty drawish, Black has held the pawn with a lot more play than in the game) 15... Qxf3 16. Bxf3 Bxc4 17. Bxb7 Rb8 18. Bc6+ Ke7 19. Rde1+ Be6 20. Rhf1 h6 21. Rf3 a6 (1/2-1/2).  Black’s weak pawns preclude any winning chances, but he never seemed in any danger.

I’ve kept my notes light so as not to push the discussion in any particular way, but I welcome input from all the KG experts here!