King's Gambit Declined

NEUMANN vs. DUFRESNE
Berlin, 1863

King's Gambit Declined

1. e4, e5
2. f4, Bc5
3. Nf3, d6
4. Bc4, Nf6
5. Nc3, 0-0
6. d3 ....

After 6. fxe5 fxe5, 7. Nxe5 Black replies with 7....Qd4! and he would have a good game.

6. .... Ng4?

Black is enticed by  ....Nf2, but 6....Nc6 is a much better reply.

7. Rf1, Nxh2?
8. Rh1! ....

Black hoped for 8. Nxh2 Qh4+ followed by ...Qxh2, giving him an excellent game.

8. .... Ng4
9. Qe2, Bf2+?

A useless move. It disabled White's castling but at this point of the game, castling for White does not signify.

10. Kf1, Nc6
11. f5!, Bc5
12. Ng5!!, Nh6

If 12....Nf6 White wins with 13. Nxh7 Nxh7, 14. Qh5 etc.

13. Qh5, Qe8

14. Nxh7, Kxh7
15. Bxh6, g6

Of course not 15....gxh6, 16. Qxh6+ and mate next move.

16. Qxg6+!!, fxg6
17. Bxf8 mate.

An artistic finale.

King's Gambit Accepted

Once again, we are posting an article on the King's Gambit.  In the gambit, the f4 pawn is being offered so that White could build up a strong center with d2-d4.  Theory has shown that in order for Black to maintain his f4 pawn, he must weaken his king-side.

PAUL MORPHY vs. ADOLF ANDERSSEN
Paris 1858
King's Gambit Accepted, Kieseritzky Gambit Berlin Defenese

1. e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Nf3, g5
4. h4, g4
5. Ne5 ....

The Kieseritzky Gambit, said to be stronger and positional in nature. The Gambit was used by Boris Spassky to beat Bobby Fisher in a famous game during the year 1960.

5. .... Nf6
6. Nxg4, Nxe4
7. d3, Ng3
8. Bxf4 ....

White sacrifices a Rook in exchange for an attack on the uncastled Black King.

8. .... Nxh1
9. Qe2+, Qe7

If 9....Be7 then 10. Nf6+ Kf8, 11. Bh6+ mate.

10. Nf6+, Kd8
11. Bxc7!!, Kxc7
12. Nd5+, Kd8
13. Nxe7, Bxe7
14. Qg4, d6
15. Qf4, Rg8
16. Qxf7, Bxh4+
17. Kd2, Re8
18. Na3, Na6
19. Qh5 ....

Threatening both Bishop and Knight.

19. .... Bf6
20. Qxh1, Bxb2
21. Qh4+, Kd7

If 21....Re7 then 22. Re1!! with a great attack.

22. Rb1, Bxa3
23. Qa4+, Resigns

With material and positional advantage, White wins after 23....Kd8, 24. Qxa3.  A simple yet elegant finish.

To see the POPULAR VARIATIONS of this opening, visit  KING'S GAMBIT ACCEPTED.

The Immortal Game

A game that has made into the annals of chess books is presented to you in the following post. Adolf Anderssen is forever immortalized through this brilliant game...hundreds of years and thousands of strong players later.  He is still remembered today.

Anderssen's biography may be viewed at Morphy's Opponents.

ANDERSSEN vs. KIESERITZKY
London, 1851
King's Gambit, Kieseritzky Variation

1. e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Bc4 .....

The usual move is Nf3 which clearly stops Qh4. The text 3. Bc4 deals with it by creating a safe flight square for the King.

3. ..... Qh4+
4. Kf1 .....

Although White cannot castle, the pawn would be easy to win back, and the Black position is compromised by a badly placed Queen prone to attack.

4. ..... b5??

A strange move that sacrifices a pawn for no good reason.

5. Bxb5, Nf6
6. Nf3, Qh6
7. d3 .....

Protecting e4 and activating the c1 Bishop which bites down on the f4 pawn.

7. ..... Nh5
8. Nh4 .....

White is eyeballing the f5 square.

8. ..... Qg5
9. Nf5, c6!

Black creates a pawn lever with tempo.

10. g4!! .....

Taking advantage of the pinned f4 pawn, and offering to trade the b5 Bishop for the h5 Knight.

10. ..... Nf6
11. Rg1 .....

White sacrifices the b5 Bishop in exchange for an attack on the king side.

11. ..... cxb5
12. h4!!, Qg6
13. h5, Qg5
14. Qf3 .....

Threatening BxP trapping the Queen.

14. ..... Ng8

The only way to save his Queen.

15. Bxf4!! .....

Although White is a piece down, he is starting to develop and getting a strong position.

15. ..... Qf6
16. Nc3, Bc5
17. Nd5!! .....

Attacking the Queen and putting the Knight in a sharp OUTPOST position.

17. ..... Qxb2
18. Bd6! .....

White offers both rooks.

18. ..... Bxg1
19. e5 !!, Qxa1+
20. Ke2, Na6

Ba6! would have been Black's salvation.

21. Nxg7+!, Kd8
22. Qf6+!!, Nxf6
23. Be7 mate.

A beautiful finish. White completes mate with only two knights, one bishop and a handful of pawns.

The King's Gambit, Muzio Variation

MARSHALL vs. MAROCZY
Vienna, 1903

1. e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Nf3, g5
4. Bc4, g4
5. Nc3, gxf3
6. Qxf3, d5

With a material advantage, Black can afford to give up a pawn in order to gain time for development.

7. Nxd5, c6
8. Nxf4, Qf6

Threatening 9. ....Qd4 winning another piece if White castles.

9. c3, Bh6

Black had a better line in 9....Qh4+, 10. g3 Bg4, 11. Qf2 Qe7 etc.

10. d4, Ne7
11. 0-0, 0-0

12. Nd5 ......

A neat surprise.  Black has little choice, for on 12....Qxf3, 13. Nxe7+ regains the piece with a winning advantage. 

12.......Nxd5
13. Qxf6, Nxf6
14. Bxh6 ....

If now 14......Nxe4, 15. Bxf8 Nd2, 16. Bxf7+ Kxf8, 17. Be6+ Nxf1, 8. Rxf1+ Ke7, 19. Bxc8 and the threat of Bxb7 is absolutely decisive.

14. .....N8d7
15. Bxf8, Kxf8
16. e5, Resigns

On 16......Nd5, 17. Bxd5 cxd5, 18. e6 Nb6, 19. Rxf7+ etc. not to mention an overwhelming position.  This little game abounds in bright ideas.

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The King's Gambit, Muzio Variation

The Muzio Gambit is rarely played nowadays.  During the Romantic Era, however, this lively opening, involving as it does the sacrifice of a piece on the fifth move, was played frequently even against very good players.  Here is an example in which Andressen, an attacking master, is brought to his knees in mere 17 moves.

ZUKERTORT vs. ANDERSSEN
Breslau, 1865

1. e4, e5
2. f4, exf4
3. Nf3, g5
4. Bc4, g4
5. 0-0 ....

After Ne5, Qh4ch the attack passes to Black.

5. .... Qe7

Black still maintains a threat to win a piece, as he holds Qc5 in reserve, winning White's exposed Bishop.

6. Nc3 !? ....

The idea behind this interesting move is apparently that after 6.... Qc5+, 7. d4 Qxc4, 8. Ne5 Qe6, 9. Nd5 Kd8, 10. Bxf4 White will have a fierce attack in return for the sacrificed piece.

6. ..... gxf3
7. d4, d6
8. Nd5, Qd7
9. Qxf3, Nc6
10. Qxf4, Nd8
11. Qg3!  ...

White's lead in development is so great that it negates, at least for the time being, his material loss.

11.....c6
12. Qxg8!, Rxg8
13. Nf6+, Ke7
14. Nxg8+ ....

Black's King cannot run away.

14. .....  Ke8
15. Nf6+, Ke7
16. Nxd7, Bxd7
17. Bg5+, Resigns

Black has nothing to live for.  If 17..... Ke8, 18. Bxd8 Rxd8, 19. Rxf7

A gem of a game.

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