Kieseritzky Gambit
- philipewarren
- Jul 29, 2021
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 30, 2021
Make sure you click on the link above in order to follow the opening as you read this description.
Gambit: A pawn is sacrificed in order to gain an advantage.
1. e4 e5
2. f4
The aim is
a) To sacrifice e5 thereby opening up the f file. The Rook can then move on this file (after perhaps castling).
b) After eliminating the e5 pawn and creating a strong pawn centre – eventually moving pawn to d4.
Game Begins
2...e5 (400,000 games vs c5 - 700,000)
2. f4 (15,000 vs Nf3 - 300,000) - 2nd most common here along with 2 others.
So we’re dealing with a very common setup. Reti says you may not win so many games with this opening, but it is very good for learning about positional play. With open games, it is easier to see pieces working together to attack across the board.
2...exf4 (8,500 games vs d5 3,000)
3. Nf3 (6,500 games vs Bc4 - 1,500)
This is the King’s Knight Gambit. This move is in order to guard against Qh4+
3...g5
There are 3 oft played moves here – the other 2 being d5 & d6 which I shan’t go into here but should be explored. Reti says that in the early 1900s g5 was almost always played and had been established for 3 centuries as the only way to protect the f4 in the long run.
4. h4
The other very common response is Bc4. This would then allow for an immediate Castle. Reti is extremely scathing of this option because it represents an abandonment of the whole point of the King’s Gambit opening, which is to attack the f file, which is now weakened for black where f5 and f6 are now weak due to the pawn g5. In order to play in accordance with the King’s Gambit, white should therefore be aiming to clear the f file by the elimination of black’s pawn on f4.
h4 undermines the defence of f4. Moreover, if white delays this move it will no longer work, since black is able to play 3...Bg7, 4...h6, thereby creating a chain of 3 pawns defending one another. Why does 3...Bg7 enable this? Well, if after 4. h4 black tried 4...h6 then
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5. hxg5 hxg5
6. Rxh8
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4...g4 (900 games vs f6 - 10)
5. Ne5 - 800 (vs Ng5 – 100)
This is the Kieseritzky Gambit that we are studying. It was first described by the Italian, Giulio Cesare Polerio in the late 1500s. Knight now challenges f7 pawn, which may be backed up by Bc4 soon. Also Knight could now move to Nd3 which will then challenge the f4 Gambit pawn.
Ng5 is the Allgaier Gambit, which involves a Knight sacrifice. Most often followed by 5...h6, always followed by 6. Nxf7 Kxf7. If you follow the games through on the database it doesn’t appear to usually work out too well for white.
5...Nf6 (400 games vs d6 – 160)
Here white prepares for Nh5 which will protect the f4 Gambit Pawn. d6 actually looks very good for black in the database despite being far less played. We will consider the most played line – but d6 is definitely worth considering though for black.
6. Bc4 – (250 games vs d4 - 100)
Moving pawn to d4 enables the Bishop on C1 to attack f4. However, John Shaw has recently published a comprehensive work on the King's Gambit and counsels Bc4. But White may play 8...Nh5, thereby defending her f4 pawn.
For now let's quickly cover the older, simpler line after 6.d4.
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6...d6
This is almost always played. Pawn threatens White's Knight.
7. Nd3
In 91 games in the 365chess.com database this has always been played here. White now challanges the Gambit pawn on f4.
7...Nxe4 (80 games vs 7)
8. Bxf4 (70 games vs 9)
Finally White has achieved the aims of the King's Gambit. The f4 Gambit pawn is taken and she has placed a pawn on d4, controlling some of the centre.
d6 is almost always played. Black attacks the white’s night. Then in 91 games in the database, white retreats moving Night to d3. Then black Ne4 is usually played, removing white’s powerful f4 pawn. Finally, the Gambit pawn can now be removed from f4, and the Gambit has succeeded in it’s aims. Black is now a pawn ahead, but you now have the f file.
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