King's Gambit

[twofingerted]

I am a beginning player, Blitz rating of 1150 and standard rating of 1200 on chess.com, that has just started trying to get better. I have been playing about two or three months and have gone from about an 800 level player, lol, to where I am at now by just learning most of the basics, doing tactics puzzles every day as well as playing lots of games, and learning some basic openings/ theory.

Anyways, I pretty much always play the kings gambit as an opening for white when it goes 1. e4 e5. (Everyone takes the gambit) I love this opening because I feel like at the level I am at it is fairly easy to get good posistion on the people I am playing against. What I am wondering is am I wasting my time playing and learning this opening? It seems like more competent opponents would be able to exploit it because it can open up white's kingside so much? In order to improve what openings should I be trying out too? I enjoy playing wide open games so it seems like a good fit.

Anyways, sorry if I'm being a noob. Oh and mods if this stuff is stickied somewhere, sorry.

[Allen C]

If it's good enough for the world's best to occasionally play then it's good enough for you and me to play every game. The only reason to give it up would be if you're bored and want to learn something new.

[KyleJRM82]

It's fine. At the highest levels, black will not have a huge problem equalizing the position, but that's irrelevant to amateurs.

By the time you are good enough at chess to outgrow the opening, you'll have probably switched openings a dozen times.

[MikeyObviously]

Check out these games:

Paul Morphy playing the King's Gambit Accepted as white

[twofingerted]

Thanks guys. It just seems to work so well against the players at my level because they just play themselves into circles.

[twofingerted]

Originally Posted by MikeyObviously

Check out these games:

Paul Morphy playing the King's Gambit Accepted as white

Ah yes this is amazing. I've already found some stuff that helps so many of my games go

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. nf3 g5 4. h4

[ganstaman]

I really like it for learning because you get such easy and good development that you get a feel for what it's like to work with such coordinated pieces and central control. I think it helps you learn why the opening principles are what they are.

[twofingerted]

What's the consensus on playing against it as black? Should you take the gambit or is it better to decline and just develop?

Also, I see that Fischer would often play 3. be4

Any thoughts on this? For the life of me I can't figure it out but I am a total noob so someone please enlighten me...esepcially because of blacks ability to check with Qh4

[MikeyObviously]

I play the Falkbeer Counter-gambit:

2....d5 3. dxe5 e4 and will usually follow up with Nf6 and either Bc5 or the bb4 knight pin.

It is a fun way to counter attack and players often don't know how to respond.

[twofingerted]

Originally Posted by MikeyObviously

I play the Falkbeer Counter-gambit:

2....d5 3. dxe5 e4 and will usually follow up with Nf6 and either Bc5 or the bb4 knight pin.

It is a fun way to counter attack and players often don't know how to respond.

I've seen this a few times and it seems to usually get me in weird spots I don't like. I'll have to look into it.

Edit: Sweet they have youtube videos on it...

[smilingbill]

Originally Posted by twofingerted

What's the consensus on playing against it as black? Should you take the gambit or is it better to decline and just develop?

Also, I see that Fischer would often play 3. be4

Any thoughts on this? For the life of me I can't figure it out but I am a total noob so someone please enlighten me...esepcially because of blacks ability to check with Qh4

Accepting is the acid test of any gambit Fischer was of the opinion that 2.-exf4 3.Nf3 d6 (now called the Fischer Defense) refutes 3.Nf3, which might also explain why he preferred the Bishop's Gambit with 3.Bc4.
3.-Qh4+ forces the White K to move to f1, but on the other hand he gains time with Nf3 so there are pros and cons to giving the check. FWIW the main line against 3.Bc4 is 3.-Nf6 4.Nc3 (4.e5 d5! is good for Black) c6 followed by d5.

[perfidious]

The line that everyone played after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 for many years was 3.Nf3, but 3.Bc4 has gotten a lot of attention in the last fifteen years or so.
There was this game in 3.Nf3 that might be worth looking at: http://www.365chess.com/view_game.php?g=361119

As far as your choice of opening goes, you aren't a professional player, so just play what you enjoy and experiment. It'll take you some time to get a feel for things, but be bold!

In the Falkbeer, the old line was 3.exd5 e4, but look at 3....c6 too. A lot of players use this to get to a variation of the KGA after 4.Nc3 exf4.

[twofingerted]

Originally Posted by perfidious

The line that everyone played after 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 for many years was 3.Nf3, but 3.Bc4 has gotten a lot of attention in the last fifteen years or so.
There was this game in 3.Nf3 that might be worth looking at: http://www.365chess.com/view_game.php?g=361119

As far as your choice of opening goes, you aren't a professional player, so just play what you enjoy and experiment. It'll take you some time to get a feel for things, but be bold!

In the Falkbeer, the old line was 3.exd5 e4, but look at 3....c6 too. A lot of players use this to get to a variation of the KGA after 4.Nc3 exf4.

I'm a noob so I am probably wrong but it seems like the 7. Nd3 move in this game is a blunder?

Very Interesting game though and seems, with alot better play, like the games I lose when playing this opening. I end up having to shift around pieces to protect an open king.

[Phaedrus]

Inspired by this thread I played the King's Gambit in a rapid casual game last night. Immediately felt like Paul Morphy! Got the following position as white:

www.chessvideos.tv


In time pressure 17.Rxh7!? screams out to be played, but is it sound?

Spoiler:

I calculate that after 17.Rxh7 Kxh7 18.Qh5+ Kg8 19.Nxe6 Qxd4+ I am busted, so I play 17.Qd3 hitting h7 and keeping d4 covered.

I overlooked that after 19.Nxe6 the knight protects d4 so 19...Qxd4+ isn't possible.

Nevertheless 17.Qd3 still wins on the spot, right?

Spoiler:

17.Qd3? allows 17...Bf5!! and white is left with a decent advantage but lots of play left in a sharp position.

[betgo]

A lot of lower rated players don't know the book moves to the kings gambit and don't understand white's attack. They try to just develop their pieces normally and get into trouble.

The kings gambit has advantages positionally and in terms of an attack, and there is a reason why it was the most popular opening 150 years ago.

The bishops gambit 3.Bc4 has the advantage of attacking f7 most strongly. With 3. Nf3, the knight is in the way of a likely attack on the f-file and comes under attack. When it goes 3... Qh4+ 4.Kf1, white has an advantage in develop and an attack in compensation for the somewhat exposed king.

I sometimes open 1.Nc3 to try to avoid the Sicilian and some other defenses to 1.e4 and sometimes transpose to the Vienna game and Vienna gambit. 1. Nc3 e5 2.e4, then often 3.f4 in response to various 2... moves by black.