Latvian gambit
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The basic position of the Latvian Gambit after 2.… f7 – f5
The Latvian Gambit is an opening in the game of chess . It is one of the open games and is based on the king knight game 1. e2 – e4 e7 – e5 2. Ng1 – f3 after the move f7 – f5 . The ECO code is C40.
This opening was analyzed by Carl Behting (1867–1943) from Riga ( Latvia ) at the beginning of the 20th century . This gambit hardly ever occurs in master practice, as Black's style of playing requires extensive knowledge of opening theory on the one hand, but on the other hand offers little chance of more than equalization when White's calm build-up. The biggest advantage should therefore be the surprise effect, as very few players deal with the Latvian Gambit more intensively.
Nevertheless, there were always well-known grandmasters who occasionally used it, such as Boris Spasski or Ivan Sokolov .
variants
3. Nxe5
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Position after 8.… Nf6
- 3. Nxe5 Qf6
The main continuation in the Latvian Gambit consists in capturing the uncovered, central e-pawn instead of the f-pawn. At the same time White clears the diagonal d1 – h5 with the threat of Qh5 +. Black's usual answer Qf6 pursues several ideas: The knight on e5 is attacked and after a retreat threatens fxe4. Furthermore, the queen covers the g6-square, so that a check bid with Qh5 + can be parried by g6. Other long-term considerations include strengthening the black kingside by positioning the queen. Other black sequels exist in third ... Nc6, 3. ... Nf6 or 3 ... Qe7 .
- 4. d4 d6 5. Nc4 fxe4 6. Nc3 Qg6
The natural continuation. Although White has a lead in development, Black's position with the idea of Nf6, Be7 and 0–0 with the half-open f-file is solid. At the same time, the black queen blocks the development of the white-squared white bishop by threatening Qxg2. On the other hand, the far advanced pawn on e4 offers White opportunities to attack
- 7. f3 exf3 8. Qxf3 Nf6 9. Bd3 Qg4 .
The bishop's move attacks the black queen, who offers itself for exchange on g4 . One method to prevent this variant is the intermediate move 9. Ne3 Nc6 10. Bd3 Qf7 . The rejection of the exchange of women is common
- 10. Qe3 + Be7 11. 0-0 Qh5
3. exf5
- 3. exf5 e4 4. Ne5 Nf6 5. Be2
By capturing the pawn on f5, White takes on the actual gambit. The black pawn advance is supposed to drive the knight from f3; the variant 3.… d6 4. d4 leads to a variant of the Philidor defense . Other continuations for White on the fourth move are 4. Nd4 or 4. De2 . In the text variant, the white idea is Lh5 + with quality gain . Black has two main continuations:
5.… d6
- 5.… d6 6. Bh5 + Ke7 7. Nf7 De8 8. Nxh8 Qxh5 9. Qxh5 Nxh5 10. g4 Nf6
The black pawn move on d6 attacks the knight directly, but after the bishop check leads to an exposed position of the king in the middle of the board. Black forces the queen swap on h5 in order to transition into the endgame as quickly as possible. An 11. g5 hasty by White is parried by 11.… Nh5 with the threat of Bxf5. So it is better
- 11. h3 Nc6 12. Nc3
with advantage for white.
5.… Be7
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Position after 8.… De8
- 5.… Be7 6. Bh5 + Kf8 7. Nc3
The black bishop move means that after a bishop check on h5, the king's escape square is f7 instead of e7. For White, the intermediate check on h5, in contrast to a direct Nc3, removes the castling right from Black and prevents ambitions on the half-open f-file after 6.Nc3 0–0 7. g4 d6 8. Bc4 + d5 .
- 7.… d6 8. Nf7 Qe8
In this complex position White has to be careful not to capture the rook, because after 9.Nxh8 Qxh5 10. Qxh5 Nxh5 11. g4 Nf6 12. g5 Nh5 Black has an advantage. If White wants to force the quality gain, is the intermediate move
- 9.g4 Nxh5 10.Nxh8 Nf6
correct, which prevents the exchange of queens. An alternative move for White is 9. d3 Rg8 10. Nh6 Nxh5 11. Nxg8 Kxg8 12. dxe4 with a rook and two pawns for two minor pieces .
3. d4
- 3. d2 – d4 f5xe4 4. Nf3xe5 Ng8 – f6 5. Bc1 – g5 Bf8 – e7 6. Bg5xf6 Be7xf6 7. Qd1 – h5 + g7 – g6 8. Ne5xg6 h7xg6 9. Qh5xg6 + Ke8 – e f7 10. Bf1 – c4 Qd8 – e f7
3. Bc4
- 3. Bf1 – c4 f5xe4 - 4. Nf3xe5 Qd8 – g5 (classic variant) 4.… d7 – d5 (Svedenborg variant)
literature
- Hagen Tiemann : Latvian Gambit . 2nd Edition. Edition Mädler, Düsseldorf 1989, ISBN 3-7919-0213-X .
- László Orbán : Latvian Gambit. An opening for the future . Chess Archives, 1987, ISBN 3-88086-020-3 .
- Tony Cost : The Latvian Gambit . Batsford 1995, ISBN 0-7134-7619-2 .