Stafford Gambit

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The Stafford Gambit is a Gambit variants in the Russian defense in chess . Your ECO code is C42.

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The Stafford gambit after 3. ... Nb8-c6

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After the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 . After accepting 4. Nxc6 dxc6 White has one more pawn. Black's plan is to quickly develop his pieces and to attack the weakness f2 with moves like Bc5, Ng4 and Qh4.

Named the variant, according to a 1950 played correspondence game Lowen against Stafford: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Sxc6 dxc6 5. e5 Ne4 6. d3 Lc5 0-1. White gave up because the field f2 can no longer be properly covered. 7. dxe4 loses after Bxf2 + 8. Ke2 Bg4 + the queen, after 7. Be3 Bxe3 8. fxe3 Qh4 + 9. g3 Nxg3 White is losing

Another possibility to quickly lose with White in a bad game is shown by 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Bg5 Nxe4 7. Bxd8 Bxf2 + 8. Ke2 Bg4 mate. Even early castling can quickly lead to a loss for White: 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Bc4 Ng4 7. 0-0 Qh4 8. h3 Nxf2 9. Qf3 Nxh3 + 10. Kh2 Nf2 + 11. Kg1 Qh1 mate.

Especially in blitz chess against unprepared opponents, the gambit gives blacks good practical chances of winning. The American IM Eric Rosen , who has the variant in his repertoire, published the following game played on a chess server: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. h3 Bxf2 + 7. Kxf2 Nxe4 + 8th Ke3 0-0 9.Nc3 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Qh4 11.Qf3 Re8 + 12. Kd2 De1 mate.

With White's best game, the compensation for the sacrificed pawn is not sufficient. During an analysis, Jerzy Konikowski came to the conclusion that Black only has “a few tricks” that White can refute and thereby achieve a decisive advantage. He gives several options as beneficial for White:

  • 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. e5 Ne4 6. d4 (followed by a build-up with Be3 and Nd2).
  • 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. d3 Bc5 6. Be2 (with the idea of ​​taking control of the g4-square and then consolidating with c3 and d4)
  • 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 Nc6 4. Nxc6 dxc6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. h3 Be6 7. d3

The gambit is therefore "not recommended for Black".

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Jerzy Konikowski: Russian (C42) Stafford Gambit. In: ChessBase Magazin 82 (2001)