King's Gambit
1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nf3 d5!?
I have been playing this sharp move for 34 years with generally good results (+30=15-19).
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| How should White respond? |
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4.Nc3!?
The main moves in ChessBase's 2023 Mega database are 4.exd5 and 4.Nxe5, but the text is the top choice of Stockfish15.1, and either the top or second choice of Komodo14.1 (it fluctuates between the text and 4.Nxe5).
4...d4
A serious alternative is 4...Nf6 with sharp play, eg Bent Larsen - Francisco José Pérez Pérez, Dortmund 1961, continued 5.Qe2!? 0-0?! 6.fxe5 Nxe4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Qxe4 Nc6 9.c3 Be6 10.d4 with a large advantage for White (1-0, 24 moves). Stockfish15.1 suggests 5...exf4!?, eg 6.Nxd5 Nxd5 7.exd5+ Be7!? 8.d4, slightly preferring White after both 8...0-0 and 8...Qxd5. One line given by Komodo14.1 runs 5...Nxe4 6.Nxe4 dxe4 7.Qxe4 Nc6 8.fxe5 Nd4!? 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Qxd4 Bxd4, which it claims gives equality.
A serious alternative is 4...Nf6 with sharp play, eg Bent Larsen - Francisco José Pérez Pérez, Dortmund 1961, continued 5.Qe2!? 0-0?! 6.fxe5 Nxe4 7.Nxe4 dxe4 8.Qxe4 Nc6 9.c3 Be6 10.d4 with a large advantage for White (1-0, 24 moves). Stockfish15.1 suggests 5...exf4!?, eg 6.Nxd5 Nxd5 7.exd5+ Be7!? 8.d4, slightly preferring White after both 8...0-0 and 8...Qxd5. One line given by Komodo14.1 runs 5...Nxe4 6.Nxe4 dxe4 7.Qxe4 Nc6 8.fxe5 Nd4!? 9.Nxd4 Qxd4 10.Qxd4 Bxd4, which it claims gives equality.
5.Na4 Bd6 6.fxe5 Bxe5
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| What should White play? |
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7.Bc4!?
After the largely forcing sequence 7.Nxe5 Qh4+ 8.g3 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxh1 10.Ng6+ Be6 11.Nxh8, the position seems unclear.
7...Nc6 8.d3 Nf6 9.0-0
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| How should Black proceed? |
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9...a6!?
Trying to take advantage of the awkward configuration of white pieces on the queenside, and it is the choice of the engines, but double-edged when Black is uncastled and behind in development.
10.Bg5!? b5??
Best seems to be 10...Qd6, when Stockfish15.1 prefers Black but Komodo14.1 gives a tiny edge to White.
11.Bd5 Nxd5!?
Maybe 11...Qd6 is objectively better, but 12.Bxc6+ Qxc6 13.Nxe5 is easily winning.
12.Bxd8 Ne3 13.Qe1 Kxd8
The engines slightly prefer 13...Nxd8 or 13...Nxf1.
14.Nxe5 Nxe5 15.Qg3 Re8 16.Nc5
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| Black's position is even worse than a quick material assessment would suggest |
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The game finished:
16...Bg4?! 17.Rf2 Rb8 18.c3 Rb6 19.cxd4 Nd1 20.Rd2 Rg6 21.dxe5 1-0
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