Brian Rountree uses the King’s Gambit to claim this week’s GOW prize. Also, Ray Fourzan invites Colorado players to a couple of El Paso tournaments in June. And finally, J.C. MacNeil reminds me about the other Game Of The Week. See the newsletter for details!
Here is Brian’s King’s Gambit position. It is white to move:
The Muzio Gambit of the King’s Gambit is often fun to analyze and goof around with in blitz. It is a fun exercise to do with kids to see if they can discover forced variations and sharpen their tactical skills. Someday when GMs get bored with the Najdorf and the Berlin Wall, they may take some swings with the Muzio.
As for the Danish, I prefer donuts or a nice bagel with Baker’s poppy seed spread.
Paul Morphy played the Tumbleweed or at least something akin to it in the King’s Gambit against Henry Bird in a chess exhibition. He played 5 players in a simul before going back to America: Johan Lowenthal, Jules Arnous de Riviere, Thomas Barnes, Samuel Boden, and Henry Bird. These were among the strongest players of Europe. He scored 2 wins, 2 draws, and one loss (Barnes). IIRC correctly, there was an Andy Soltis column in Chess Life about the simul. You can find the games in the Oxford Encyclopedia of Chess and many chess databases. Have to wonder how Carlsen would do if he took on 5 of the top 10 players in the world in a simul, where some of the players had White.
Depending on the “bonus” Carlsen would have a chance to surpass Morphy’s score. GM’s have egos and this would weigh on them being simul participants with nothing to gain and everything to lose. Also, databases would make it easier for Magnus to prepare for his opponents. So to make it fairer the chosen five would have to be drawn from a lot of the top fifteen or so. Now if it were the “computer” five up…five down.
From what I’ve read, and it’s been several years, there is a line that forces a win. Can’t remember if white wins or black.
That being said, for mortal players of chess, I’d think the King’s Gambit is very playable. Still, I guess it’s not the kind of opening you can just blunder around to learn. If I wanted to play it, I’d have to get a book or computer lessons (aka Fritz Trainer), on the line. It’s, at least for me, rather out of my element for the types of middle games I like to play. Not to say I can’t get into my element with the line, but I’d need to study it first, to see how I can turn the middle game into something I’m more familiar with.
