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The King's Bishop's Gambit [C33]

This month I cover a variation in my favorite line, the King's Bishop's Gambit.
Writing about lines I play allows me to add my own experience to the theory, without
The giving away too many secrets of course.
Openings 1.e4 e5 2.f4
Explained The infamous King's Gambit. It goes against chess principle: not developing a piece, Garry Kasparov, Part II:
weakening the king, and if Black accepts the sacrifice, giving up a pawn as well. In 1985-1993 (Ebook)
return White gets an open f-file and attacks the center with a wing pawn. by Garry Kasparov
Abby Marshall
2...exf4
Black accepts the sacrifice.

Translate this page I faced 2...Bc5 in scholastic events, but hardly anyone seems to play this in open
tournaments. It basically does everything White did not, getting a piece out and
getting closer to castling; something that should be given more attention.
3.Bc4

From's Gambit
by Abby Marshall

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The King's Bishop Gambit. This is what I play. The King's Gambit
by Gary Lane
3.Nf3 is the more common approach and leads to many fun sacrificial variations.
3...g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.0-0 gxf3 6.Qxf3 This is one of those ancient lines where White
just dominated until defensive play improved. Black probably should not go into this.
3...Nf6
This is a reliable reply.
3...Qh4+ 4.Kf1 ends up working against Black since the king is safe here and the
knight coming to f3 will gain a tempo.
4.Nc3
White develops a piece and protects the pawn.
Upon 4.e5? d5.
4...Bb4
A rare move. When I faced this in a recent tournament, I had to think at this point.
4...c6 5.Bb3 d5 6.exd5 cxd5 7.d4 Bd6 is the main line.

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5.Nf3
This is the move Thomas Johansson recommends in his book The Fascinating King's
Gambit, a book that I love. He does a ton of analysis and it is clear that he is
invested deeply in this opening.
5.d3 This is the kind of move you might play if you did not know what to do and
wanted to be safe. 5...d5 This is natural and strong. 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.Bd2 Ne3 This is
not good for White.
5.e5 This is what I chose to play in the aforementioned game. 5...d5 This is strong! I
initially thought that this move was too risky for Black. 6.Bb3 (6.exf6 dxc4 7.fxg7
Rg8 When thinking about the fifth move, I looked briefly at this and thought Black
would not go in for this wild set-up. Black's king looks very exposed, but Black has
the bishop-pair and White's development is poor.; 6.Bb5+ is a slightly better try.
6...c6 7.exf6 cxb5 8.fxg7 Rg8 White has an easier time developing the c1-bishop
and the d-file is not as open for the black queen, but I still do not like it.) 6...Bxc3
This is the way my game went. 7.dxc3 Ne4 8.Nf3 c6 9.Bxf4 0-0 10.Qe2 Bg4
11.c4 It turned out alright, but I think White can do better.
5...0-0
5...Bxc3 gives White more possibilities. 6.dxc3 Nxe4? Reckless. (6...d6 7.Bxf4 0-0
8.Bg5 White delays castling to tie Black up. 8...Nbd7 9.0-0 h6 10.Bh4 Qe8 Black
guarantees winning a pawn, but 11.Qd3 Qxe4 12.Rae1 Qxd3 13.cxd3 Black is tied
up. The d7-knight better not move, since then White doubles the f-pawns. But if the
knight does not move, then the c8-bishop cannot get out, so the a8-rook cannot get
out.) 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qd5+ White can easily develop from this point. 8...Ke8
9.Qxe4+ Qe7 10.Qxe7+ Kxe7 11.Bxf4.
5...Qe7 is an interesting try. 6.Qe2 0-0 (6...Bxc3 7.dxc3 Qxe4 8.Qxe4+ Nxe4 9.0-
0) 7.e5 Bxc3 8.dxc3 Nh5 9.0-0 (9.g4 Johansson gives this move, which is echoed
by Fritz.) 9...Re8 10.Qe4 We will pick this up in the first illustrative game.
5...Nc6 Black can choose to develop this knight early, something we do not see in
the other variations. 6.0-0 0-0 7.d3 d6 This is too passive. 7...Bxc3 is necessary.
8.Bxf4 White gets a very typical position when Black is too passive. 8...Bg4 9.Bg5
(9.h3 Bh5 10.g4 is another possibility.) 9...Nd4 10.Nd5 White's kingside is not
under serious attack, but Black's king is in danger. 10...Nxf3+? This will let the
pawn go to f4 and help push to e5. 11.gxf3 Bh3 12.Rf2 Bc5 13.d4 Bb6 14.f4
White is easily winning.
6.0-0

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Now that Black is castled, it is bad to keep the white king in the center, nor is it

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consistent with the plan of quick development started by 5.Nf3.
6...Bxc3
This is not the only way to win the e-pawn.
6...d6 Or Black can just keep developing. 7.Nd5 c6 A poor move that just
encourages White's plans. (7...Nxd5 8.exd5 The dark-squared bishop is not able to
get over to defend the kingside, but this is still better than the game.) 8.Nxb4 Qb6+
9.d4 Qxb4 Black has used some time to collect back the piece and the king is going
to become vulnerable in this old game of the great master Rubinstein. 10.Bd3 Re8
11.c3 Qb6 12.Bxf4 d5 (12...Nxe4 13.Bxe4 Rxe4 14.Ng5 The black rook is all that
is left to defend its king.) 13.e5 Ne4 14.Ng5 Nxg5 15.Bxg5 Rxe5 16.Bxh7+ Black
was already in dire straits. Now White finishes the game in a series of tactical
flourishes. 16...Kf8 (16...Kxh7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Qxf7+ Kh8 19.Bf6 gxf6 20.Rxf6)
17.Rxf7+! Kxf7 18.Qh5+ The rook to f1 is coming the next move. 1-0,
Rubinstein,A-Mund,A/Lodz 1907.
6...Nxe4 Now that Black is castled this is a reasonable alternative. 7.Nd5 (7.Nxe4
d5 8.d4 dxc4 9.Bxf4 This is another way to play, though I do not prefer it since I
like the light-squared bishop.) 7...c6 It is hard to suggest another move. Where
would the black bishop go? 8.Nxb4 d5 9.Bb3 Qb6+ 10.d4 Qxb4 11.Bxf4 The
more I meditate on this, the more it looks like this is a smart route for Black. It leads
to similar dynamics as in the main line.
6...Qe7 7.e5 is good for White.
7.dxc3
As we will see, part of White's strategy depends on preventing ...d5. This is why
6...Nxe4 may be even stronger, since Black gets to play ...d5.
7...Nxe4
On any other move White will push to e5.
8.Bxf4
This is the position White is aiming for. Development is not easy for Black, while
White is fully developed and has open central lines.

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8...d6
8...c6 9.Bd6 This pretty move freezes Black's queenside and already White has a
clear advantage. 9...Re8 10.Ne5.
8...Nc6 9.Bd5 Nc5? Black cannot do this to the black king. Some crazy fireworks
ensue. (9...Nf6 10.Bg5 This is safer for Black, but the pin is annoying.) 10.Ng5 Ne6
11.Qh5 h6 12.Nxf7 I would love to know if White came up with this over-the-
board, which is probable. 12...Rxf7 13.Bxc7 The second jolt.
A) 13...Rxf1+ 14.Rxf1 Qxc7 (14...Qe7 15.Bd6!) 15.Qe8+ Kh7 16.Be4+ Mate in
two.
B) 13...Qe8 14.Rf2 Ne7 (14...Rf8 15.Rxf8+ Qxf8 16.Rf1) 15.Raf1 Nxd5 16.Rxf7
Ndxc7 A fatal misstep that again leaves the black king unprotected. Taking with the
other knight was essential, when the game may end by perpetual check. (16...Nexc7
17.c4 Qe3+ 18.Kh1 Ne7 19.Rxg7+ Kxg7 20.Qf7+ Kh8 21.Qf6+ Kh7 22.Qf7+=)
17.R1f6! Ng5 18.Rxg7+ Kxg7 19.Qxh6+ A great little game. 1-0, Dzubasz,T-
Ellerbrock,M/Schwaebisch Gmuend 1996.

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9.Bd5
9.Qe1 is another possibility given by Johansson. No games have been played with it
so far in the database.
9...Nf6
Going to c5 would spell trouble after 10.Ng5.
10.Bg5
White takes advantage of the fact that there is no dark-squared bishop to block the
pin.
10...c6
So Black gets in a belated ...d5 after all.
11.Bb3
White keeps the possibility of playing c4 later on to undermine a black d5-pawn.
11.Bc4 d5 12.Bd3 Nbd7 is more solid for Black and kingside play is not so easy
here.
11...Bf5

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1BP2N2/PPP3PP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 12"]

Black decides to delay 11...d5 since White can respond with 12.c4.
12.Nd4
It turns out this move may have been rushing.
12.Bxf6 is similar to the game, but keeps White's knight a little more flexible on f3.
12...Qxf6? 13.Nd4.
12...Bg6
This is the point: the bishop helps protect the king.
13.Bxf6
White develops a weakness on f6.
13...gxf6
The black king is not so vulnerable, since White's focus should be on containing the
black center d-pawn.
14.Nf5
14.Rf3 The knight ends up being poorly placed on f5. This threatening-looking move
remains flexible.
14...d5
Of course.
15.Qd2

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The game is continued in the second illustrative game. It is not so easy for White
here. This entire variation is highly underrated for Black. White should take note of
the options.
Fischer, Robert James – Sandrin, Albert
Fischer simul tour Chicago, 22.03.1964
White started out with a great position in this simultaneous game by the eleventh
world champion.
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Nf3 Qe7 6.Qe2 0-0 7.e5 Bxc3
8.dxc3 Nh5 9.0-0 Re8 10.Qe4
Here is where we left off.
10...c6
This is the only good way to get the c8-bishop active.
10...d6 11.Bxf4 Nxf4 12.Qxf4 The pawn on d6 will become a target for the white
pieces. 12...Be6 13.exd6 cxd6

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11.Qd4
A good move. White's queen stays in the center and sidesteps the fork, while
preventing Black from playing ...d6.
11...b5 12.Bd3
The white bishop is so much better than its counterpart.
12...g6
This is just an amateur mistake. Now White does not have to waste time moving the
queen to e4 to provoke this move. Black should have just developed instead.
12...Bb7 13.Qe4 (13.Bxf4 c5) 13...g6 14.Bxf4 d5 White is still much better, but at
least Black has some control over the center.
13.Bxf4 c5
Black starts getting desperate. On the other hand, Black had to get the queenside
pieces active.
13...Nxf4 14.Qxf4 Na6 15.Ng5 Rf8 16.Ne4 is just one way White can win. It turns
out, not being able to move the d-pawn and play the knight to d7 is bad – not just
for the Black queenside pieces, but also the black king.

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14.Qe3 Nc6

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Black does not have time to defend the b-pawn.

15.Bxb5
15.Bg5 is a fun line. 15...f6 16.Be4! fxg5 17.Bd5+ Kh8 18.Nxg5 Black is
defenseless against the four white pieces around the black king.
15...Bb7 16.Rae1
Every piece is involved in the game and centralized.
16...d5
This loses immediately.
16...Nxf4 17.Qxf4 Nd8 18.Ng5 Rf8 19.Qh4 h5 20.Rf6

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This is kind of chess paint-by-numbers. The loss of the black bishop on the
queenside is very painful.
17.exd6 Qf6 18.Qxe8+ Rxe8 19.Rxe8+ Kg7 20.Bxc6 Nxf4 21.d7 Ne2+
22.Rxe2 Bxc6 23.Ne5 1-0
It was one wasted tempo by Black that made everything go bad.
Paulsen, Louis – Kolisch, Ignatz
London m2 (9), 1861
This game is much more balanced than the first illustrative game. Both men were
well-known strong players. White had an advantage from the opening, but was lucky
to draw.
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 Bxc3 7.dxc3 Nxe4
8.Bxf4 d6 9.Bd5 Nf6 10.Bg5 c6 11.Bb3 Bf5 12.Nd4 Bg6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Nf5
d5 15.Qd2
It is easy to overestimate White's position. The f-file looks so good, though Black
has the center and the white bishop is far away from the kingside (it would be a
different story if it was on d3). White must be better, but not by much.
15...Kh8 16.Rae1 Nd7
White wanted to defend the e4-square. The problem is that now White's access to
the kingside is blocked.
17.Ng3

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17.Ne3 this retreat is better: to prepare c4 and attack Black's center.

17...Rg8 18.Re3
This is wrong. White does not have to the time to both retreat the knight and build
up a battery.
18.Qd4

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This targets the f-pawn right away, now that the white knight is out of the way.
18...Nc5 19.Qe2
Moving the queen to d4 is better.
19.Ref3 Ne4 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 the white rook has to retreat to protect the g-pawn.
19...Ne4
It is great that the white knight is defending this square, but taking it unleashes the
black bishop and black rook.
20.c4
Everything has happened too slowly.
20...Qb6
By now the game has gotten away from White because of playing too slowly.
21.Nxe4 Bxe4 22.Rf2?

[FEN "r5rk/pp3p1p/1qp2p2/3p4/2P1b3/
1B2R3/PPP1QRPP/6K1 b - - 0 22"]

22.g3 is necessary.

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22...Rg6
22...Rae8 The game is over. 23.g3 Bd3 Black wins with this nice tactic.
23.g3 Rag8 24.cxd5 cxd5 25.Rxe4
The best idea. Now the white bishop gets active.
25.Kf1 f5 is very scary for White.
25...dxe4 26.Bxf7 e3 27.Rf3 Rd8 28.Qxe3
28.Bxg6 Rd1+! 29.Kg2 Rd2.
28...Qxe3+ 29.Rxe3 Rg7

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PPP4P/6K1 w - - 0 30"]

Black can obviously push for a win here which he did, but White had enough
resources to defend.
30.Bc4 Rd1+ 31.Kg2 Rc7 32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Rg8+ Kh6 34.Bd3 Ra1 35.Rg4
Rxa2 36.b4 Raxc2+ 37.Bxc2 Rxc2+ 38.Kh3 Ra2 39.Rh4+ Kg6 40.Rg4+ ½-
½
A very tense game.
Lessons Learned
I have faith in this line for White and believe sacrificing the pawn is the best
way. White should always try to draw Black's pieces away from the kingside.
The open f-file ensures White has the option of switching to an attack, but the
attack is not the primary focus. First, White restricts Black's development and
gets Black's pieces disorganized.
If Black can get in ...d5 and control the center, then Black will get the
advantage, as in the second illustrative game.
Even one or two tempo make a big difference, particularly in king-pawn
games and especially in an opening as tactical as the King's Gambit.
Practitioners
Akiva Rubinstein lived during beginning of the twentieth century and was one
of the best players never to be a world champion. He stands as one of the
positional greats with many well-known tactical brilliancies.
Bobby Fischer was the eleventh world champion after beating Boris Spassky
in 1972. He is the only player from the U.S. to ever become world champion.
Louis Paulsen was a German player in the nineteenth century. He played a
match with Adolf Anderssen to determine who was best in the world and lost,
but he remained an influence on players such as Steinitz.
Further Reading
The Fascinating King's Gambit by Thomas Johansson.
The King's Gambit by John Shaw

Order The Openings Explained #50 (Ebook)

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 by Abby Marshall
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