The King's Gambit Accepted [C34-C39] I have wanted to do a column on the King's Gambit for ages. However, I realized that doing a column on my favorite Bishop's Gambit would probably ruin me, so I decided to cover a different variation from what I play. Even better, it happens to be the more usual approach.
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1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3
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Abby Marshall [FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/8/4Pp2/5N2/ PPPP2PP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3"] Translate this page
This is the King's Gambit Accepted. 3.Bc4 is the Bishop's Gambit. I will cover Black's defenses with the exception of the modern 3...d5. 3...g5 The classical way to play. A) 3...d6 The Fischer Defense. 4.d4
Beating the Open Games by Mihail Marin
A1) 4...Qe7 5.Nc3 c6 This is an old defense that isn't considered very good today. 6.Bxf4 h6 7.Bd3 White already has four pieces out. 7...d5? 8.0–0 Nf6 9. exd5 Nxd5 10.Re1 Be6 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.c4 Qd8 13.cxd5 Qxd5 14.Re5 Qd8 15.d5 Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Bd6 17.dxe6 Bxe5 18.exf7+ Kf8 19.Nxe5 Qf6 20.Bc4 g5 21.Ng6+ A typical Blackburne game. 1–0, Blackburne,J-Pigott,London 1862.
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A2) 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Bxf4 0–0 7.Qd2 White decides to forget developing classically and goes for Black's throat. 7...a6 8.0–0–0 d5 9.e5 Ne4 10.Nxe4 dxe4 11.Ng5 Bxg5 12.Bxg5 Qd5 13.c4 Qc6 14.d5 Qg6 15.Bf4 Bf5 16.h3 h5 17.g4 Bd7 18.gxh5 Qxh5 19.Be2 Qh4 20.Rdg1 Qh7 21.Bh6 g6 22.h4 Bf5 23. h5 Nd7 24.hxg6 A beautiful attacking example! 1–0, Ivanchuk,V-Szivek, Mainz 2007. A3) 4...Bg4 5.Bxf4 Qf6 6.Bg3 Bxf3 7.gxf3 One interesting thing about the King's Gambit is that White can often use a better pawn structure to squeeze out a win. It is not all about kingside attacks. 7...a6 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.Nd5 Qd8 10. Qd2 Nge7 11.Bc4 White has the center and more space. A4) 4. .. g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng1 White can swing around to Ne2 to attack the f4pawn. A4a) 6...f3 7.Bg5 (7.gxf3 Be7, see below.)
Modern Chess Opening Vol. 1 by Kalinin & Kalinichenkn
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7...Be7 8.Qd2 f2+ 9.Kxf2 h6 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.Nd5 Nf6 13.Re1 Qd8 14.c3 Be6 15.Nf4 g3+ 16.Kxg3 White can afford to go on king walks sometimes in the King's Gambit. 16...Rg8+ 17.Kf3 It's complicated but I don't see White as in any immediate danger. A4b) 6...Nf6 7.Nc3 Nh5 8.Nge2 Bh6 9.g3 White will be able to regain the fpawn and will have the center. A4c) 6...f5 Black usually can't get away with this. The position that results is complicated. 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bxf4 fxe4 9.d5 Bg7 10.h5 0–0 11.Qd2 Nbd7 12. Nge2 Nc5 13.Ng3 Qe8 14.0–0–0 Bd7 15.Re1 a5 16.Bg5 This is a strange position. Black's king is less safe however. B) 3...Nf6 This move is logical. 4.e5 Nh5 This is the critical move, defending the f-pawn. (4...Ne4 5.d3 Nc5 6.d4 Ne4 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd6 Nxd6 9.Bxf4 White has the center. 4...Nd5 5.c4 Ne7 6.d4 Ng6 7.Bd3 White will get the f-pawn back and have the open f-file and central control.) 5.d4 d5 (5...d6 is not accurate. 6.Qe2 Be7? 7.exd6 Qxd6 8.Qb5+)
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6.Be2 We will look at this position in the second illustrative game. C) 3...h6 This is usually attributed to Becker. 4.Bc4 g5 C1) 5.h4 A Greco teaching game! 5...f6? 6.Nxg5? (6.Ne5!) 6...fxg5 7.Qh5+ Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qe5# 1–0, Greco,G-NN, Europe 1620. C2) 5.Ne5 Rh7 gives Black an inconvenient resource. C3) 5.0–0 Bg7 6.d4 d6 7.c3 White is fine. D) 3...Be7 The Cunningham Defense 4.Bc4 D1) 4...Bh4+ 5.Kf1 This is not bad for White since Black has lost time and White can also, at the right moment, castle by hand with Kf2, Rf1, and Kg1. 5...d5 6.Bxd5 Nf6 7.Bb3 Ng4 8.d4 Ne3+ (8...Nf2 9.Qe1 Black can't take on h1 because the bishop on h4 is hanging.) 9.Bxe3 fxe3 10.Qd3 Bg5 11.Nc3 c6 12.Re1 Bg4 13.Nd1 Nd7 14.Nxe3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 g6 16.c3 Bh6 17.h4 White cleverly consolidated in an old Lasker game. 17...Qe7 18.h5 0–0–0 19.Qe2
Rdf8 20.Qh2 Nb6 21.Ng4 Qg5 22.hxg6 fxg6 23.Be6+ Kd8 24.Qxh6 Qe7 25. Bb3 Rxf3+ 26.Ke2 Rg3 27.Ne5 1–0, Lasker,E-Lewit,A,Teplitz-Schoenau 1922. D2) 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 (5.d3 This small move may have to be played.) 5...Nxe4 Black may be able to get away with this move. 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe4 d5 (7... Rf8 8.0–0 Kg8 9.d4 d5 10.Nc5 Nc6 11.c3 Kh8 12.Nd3 unclear.) 8.Ne5+ Kg8 9.Qf3 I'm not so sure about this though White may have good practical chances. Of course Black can't take on e4 because of Qb3. E) 3...Ne7 The Bonsch-Osmolovsky. Black wants to go to g6 to defend the fpawn. 4.d4 E1) 4...Ng6 5.h4 h5 (5...Be7 6.h5 Nh4 7.Bxf4 d5 8.Nxh4 Bxh4+ 9.g3 Bg5 10. Qd2 Bxf4 11.Qxf4 dxe4 12.h6 Qxd4 13.Nc3 Nc6 14.Rd1 Qf6 15.hxg7 Qxg7 16.Nd5 Kf8 17.Nxc7 Rb8 18.Qd6+ Kg8 19.Ne8 Qg5 20.Nf6+ Kg7 21.Nh5+ Kg8 22.Rd5 Qe3+ 23.Be2 White won this game after some knight acrobatics. 1–0, Vinokurov,A-Tolstikh,N,Voronezh 2001.) 6.Bc4 c6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.0–0 d6 Black doesn't want to spend any more time getting pawns. 9.Ne2 Bg4 10.g3 d5 (10...fxg3 11.Bxf7+ Kxf7 12.Ne5+ Ke8 13.Nxg6) 11.exd5 cxd5 12.Bb5+ Nc6 13.Bxf4 This is a bizarre game. I like White's position. E2) 4...d5 5.Qe2 Ng6 6.h4 dxe4 (6...h5 7.Nc3 c6 8.exd5+ Be7 9.Ne5 White attacks the g6-knight which is the main part of Black's defense strategy of the f4-pawn.) 7.Qxe4+ Qe7 8.Qxe7+ Nxe7 9.Nc3 c6 10.Bc4 Nf5 11.0–0 f6 12. Bxf4 White's superior pawn structure is going to win the game. 12...Bd6 13. Rae1+ Kd8 14.Nd2 Bxf4 15.Rxf4 Nd6 16.Bd3 Nd7 17.h5 Black is cramped and will have to go through strange maneuvers. 17...h6 18.Re3 Re8 19.Rg3 Re7 20.Nce4 Ne8 21.c4 Nf8 22.d5 cxd5 23.cxd5 Re5 24.Nc3 Rxh5 25.Re3 Nd6 26.Nf3 Nf7 27.Rfe4 Ne5 28.Nxe5 Rxe5 29.Rxe5 fxe5 30.Rf3 Ke7 31.d6 + Ke8 32.Nb5 Ne6 33.Bg6+ Kd8 34.Rf7 Bd7 35.Bf5 Be8 36.Re7 Nd4 37.Nc7 Bc6 38.Bh3 1–0, Morozevich,A-Sokolov,I,Sarajevo 2000. F) 3...c6 We will see this in the first illustrative game. G) 3...g6 I have never seen this move before. 4.d4 Bh6 5.Bc4 d6 6.Nc3 White is already doing well. The idea of defending the pawn with the bishop on h6 is just not very good. H) 3...f5? This is a bad move. 4.exf5 d5 5.d4 Bd6 6.Bd3 Qe7+ 7.Kf2 Qf6 8. Re1+ Ne7 9.c4 c6 10.Nc3 0–0 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Qb3 Nbc6 13.Ne4 Qh6 14.f6 Na5 15.Qb5 Black is regretting letting White get a pawn on the f-file after all. I) 3...Bc5? This is another bad move. 4.d4 Bb6 5.Bxf4 d6 6.Bc4 Qf6 7.Qd2 h6 8.Nc3 Ba5 9.0–0 Qg6 10.e5 Nc6 11.Rae1 d5 12.Bxd5 Nge7 13.Be4 Bf5 14. Nh4 Qg4 15.Nxf5 Nxf5 16.h3 Qh5 17.g4 White wins. J) 3...Nc6 This move can be dangerous. 4.d4 d5 (4...Nf6 5.d5 Ne7 6.Nc3 Ng6 7.e5 Nh5 8.d6 White is better since Black's knights have gotten so off track.; 4...g5 5.d5 Nb4 6.a3 g4 7.axb4 gxf3 8.Qxf3; 4...d6 5.Bxf4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bg4 7. Bb5 a6 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.0–0 Be7 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 0–0 12.e5 White is overrunning Black.) 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Bxf4 Nf6 (7...Bg4 8.Kf2! White opens the e-file and unpins the c3-knight. 8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 0–0–0 10. Bd3 Nf6 11.Re1) 8.Bd3 Qe6+ 9.Kf2 Ng4+ 10.Kg1 0–0 11.h3 Nf6 12.d5 Bc5+ 13.Kf1 Qe7 14.dxc6 Nh5 15.Qd2 Qf6 16.Ne4 Qxb2 17.Be5 Qb6 18.Qg5 1–0, Keres,P-Pruun,R,Tallinn 1943. 4.Bc4 4.d4 and 4.h4 are other possibilities but I like targeting the f-pawn. 4.h4 g4 5. Ne5 leads to some speculative play. 4...Bg7 Black starts to set up the ideal defensive structure while defending the pawn on f4. A) 4...g4 The Muzio Gambit. 5.0–0 gxf3 6.Qxf3 Qf6 (6...Qe7 7.d4 Nc6 8.
Bxf4 Nxd4 9.Qd3 Ne6 10.Nc3 c6 11.e5 b5 12.Bb3 a5 13.Ne4 Qh4? 14.Bxe6 fxe6 15.Bg5 White is winning. Black has nothing developed.) 7.e5 Qxe5 8. Bxf7+ If you have already sacrificed one piece what is another? 8...Kxf7 9.d4 Qf5 (9...Qxd4+ 10.Be3 Qg7 11.Bxf4 Nf6 12.Nc3 Qg4 13.Qxg4 Nxg4 14.Be5 + Kg6 15.Bxh8 Bg7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nd5 Na6 18.Rae1 c6 19.Re7+ Kg8 20. Re8+ Kg7 21.Ne7 Nf6 22.Nf5+ Kf7 23.Re7+ Kf8 24.Rfe1 d5 25.Nd6 Kg8 26. Rf1 Bg4 27.Rxf6 Bd1 28.Ne8 1–0, Tsarenkov,N-Novichkov,V, Serpukhov 2002.) 10.g4 Qg6 11.Bxf4 I am not really sure what is going on in this position. 11...Nf6 12.Be5 Be7 13.Nc3 d6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 unclear. B) 4...Nc6 5.0–0 Bg7 6.d4 d6 7.c3 h6 8.g3 g4 (8...Bh3 9.Rf2 Qd7 10.gxf4 Qg4 + 11.Kh1 Nf6 12.Nbd2 Nh5 13.fxg5 0–0–0 14.Qg1 Qf4 15.Ne5 White wins.) 9.Nh4 f3 10.Nd2 Bf6 11.Ndxf3 White sacrifices a piece as in the Muzio Gambit. 11...gxf3 12.Qxf3 Bh3 13.Qh5 Qd7 14.Rf4 0–0–0 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16. Rxf5 Rh7 17.Bd2 Rg7 18.Raf1 Rg6 19.R5f3
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White has a lot of play, but if you don't want to sacrifice a piece you can deviate earlier. C) 4...d6 This is not quite accurate here. 5.h4 gxh4 (5...g4 6.Ng5 Nh6 7.Nc3 c6 8.0–0 Qe7 9.d4 f6 10.Bxf4 Black cannot afford to do this.) 6.Rxh4 Nf6 7. Nc3 Rg8 8.Qe2 Bg4 9.d4 Nc6 10.Bb5 a6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Bd2 (12.Bxf4 Nh5) 12...Nh5 13.Rh2 Qc8 14.0–0–0 a5 15.Qc4 White is better. 5.0–0 5.d4 This will transpose into the line with 5.0–0. 5...d6 6.0–0 h6 7.c3 Ne7 8. g3 g4 (8...Ng6 9.Qb3 0–0 10.gxf4 gxf4 11.Kh1 Nc6 12.Qc2 Nce7 13.Nbd2 Be6 14.Rg1 Bxc4 15.Nxc4 d5 16.Nce5 dxe4 17.Qxe4 Qd5 18.Qxd5 Nxd5 19. Nxg6 fxg6 20.Rxg6 Kh7 21.Rg2 Rae8 22.Bd2 Ne3 23.Re2 Nc4 24.Rae1 Rxe2 25.Rxe2 Nxd2 26.Nxd2 Rf6 27.Nf3 Bf8 28.Re8 a5 29.b3 Bd6 30.c4 b6 31.Kg2 Kg6 32.Kf2 Kf5 33.h3 Rf8 34.Nh4+ Kg5 35.Rxf8 Bxf8 36.Ng2 Bg7 37.d5 Be5 38.Kf3 Kf5 39.Ne1 Bc3 40.Nd3 Be5 41.a3 Bd6 42.b4 axb4 43. axb4 Be7 44.c5 bxc5 45.bxc5 Bg5 46.Nb4 Be7 47.Na6 Ke5 48.d6 cxd6 49.c6 Bd8 50.c7 Bxc7 51.Nxc7 d5 52.Na6 Kf5 53.Nb4 d4 54.Nd3 Kg5 55.Nxf4 Kh4 56.Kg2 h5 57.Kh2 1–0, Fischer,R-Mott Smith,K,Chicago 1964. Fischer played the King's Gambit occasionally, and often in simuls. The pawn structure helped White win in addition to Fischer's chess genius.) 9.Nh4 f3 10. Na3 0–0 11.Bf4 Nbc6 12.h3 Na5 13.Qd2 Nxc4 14.Nxc4 h5 15.Bh6 Ng6 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17.exf5 Nh8 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.hxg4 hxg4 20.Qf4 Rg8 21.Rae1 Kh7 22.Kf2 Rg5 23.Rh1+ Kg7 24.f6+ Kg6 25.Rh7 Qxf6 26.Rh6+ Kxh6 27. Qxf6+ Rg6 28.Rh1# 1–0, Chigorin,M-Schmid,C,Berlin 1881. 5...d6 Black continues to get the pieces out. 6.c3 White gives the center extra support and carves out a path for the queen. 6...Bg4
6...Nc6 7.Qb3 Qe7 8.d4 Nf6 9.Nxg5 Nxe4 10.Bxf7+ Kd8 11.Nxe4 This is not what Black wants. 11...Qxe4 12.Bxf4 Bh3 13.gxh3 Nxd4 14.Nd2 Ne2+ 15. Kf2 Qxf4+ 16.Kxe2 Qg5 17.Rae1 Bh6 18.Qd5 Re8+ 19.Kd1 1–0, Morphy,PAnderssen,A, Paris 1858. 7.Qb3 This is not really on the traditional King's Gambit track since White is running around chasing pawns, but it is perfectly good. The King's Gambit is not as successful as it was in the past, nor is it a clear route sometimes even to equality. I have been playing an even less respected variation (3.Bc4) for years, though it is not for everyone. 7...Nh6 8.Qb5+ Nd7 9.Qxg5 Qxg5 10.Nxg5 Ne5 11.Bb3 Bf6 12.h4 Nd3 13. Bc2 Nxc1 14.Rxc1 0–0–0 15.Rf1 Rdg8 16.Rxf4
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This is about even. Morphy, Paul – Ross, Paul New Orleans simultaneous, 1858 King's Gambit Accepted [C34] Morphy played the King's Gambit many times since it fit his attacking style and it was popular in the nineteenth century. 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 c6 In this game we see how to beat a weak opponent, or at least an opponent who plays passive moves. I think this move is slow and Black would do better to get out a piece first. 4.Nc3 I think this is the most flexible. 4...Bb4 This is awkward. There is no threat and White just develops. If 4...Nf6 5.e5 Nh5 6.d4 White gets the usual perks: the center and easy development while Black clings to the f-pawn. 4...d5 is another option. White develops fast. 5. exd5 cxd5 6.Bb5+ Nc6 7.d4 This is pleasant for White. 5.Bc4 Bxc3?! Black cannot give up this bishop unless there is a very good reason. 6.dxc3 Black has helped White control the open d-file and develop the c1–bishop. 6...Ne7 7.Qd6!
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This is very restricting and also attacks the f-pawn. There is a Morphy game to my recollection, however, where he does the same thing though as Black, playing ...Qd3! 7...0–0 8.Bxf4 Ng6 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.0–0 Kh8? This is much too slow. If 10...Qxe4 11.Nd4 I would be very surprised if White did not have a winning advantage. On 10...b5 11.Bb3 Bb7 Black has to develop somehow. 12.e5 c5 13.Qxc5 Nc6 14.Qxb5 Black has no compensation. 11.Rae1 f6 Black has violated too many opening laws not to be punished sooner or later. Morphy starts the tactics. 12.e5!
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12...f5 12...fxg5 This leads to a quicker defeat. It just opens everything up for White and Black's queenside can only sit idle. 13.Nxg5 Na6 14.Nf7+ Kg8 15.Nh6+ Kh8 16.Rxf8+ Nxf8 17.Bf7 Qd8 18.e6 13.Nd4 There is no defense at this point. 13...f4 14.e6 dxe6 15.Nxe6 Bxe6 16.Rxe6 Qc8 17.Rxg6 hxg6 18.Qxg6 Qf5 19.Rxf4! Morphy finishes with a queen sacrifice. 19...Qxg6 20.Rxf8+ Kh7 21.Bg8+ Kh8 22.Bf7+ Kh7 23.Bxg6+ Kxg6 24. Bf4 1–0 White wins a piece. This is how many King's Gambit games went before
Black figured out better ways to defend. Shulman, Yuri (2540) – Petukhov, Viacheslav (2275) Vladivostok, 1995 King's Gambit Accepted [C34] Now we move into more modern times and higher caliber players. Black does not find the best plan and after he loses the f-pawn, White is better. White usually attacks the kingside, but here we see a successful queenside attack. 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e5 Nh5 5.d4 d5 6.Be2 Black has let White gain space in the center while having a hold on the fpawn and a pawn on d5. I like White's idea in this game with 6.Be2. An interesting fight is ahead. 6...Bg4 7.0–0 Be7?! I believe this was not direct enough, giving White a comfortable game. 7... Nc6 8.Nc3 (8.c3 g5 9.Ne1 Bxe2 10.Qxe2 Ng7 White will have to develop awkwardly.) 8...g5 9.Ne1 Bxe2 10.Qxe2 Ng7 11.Qb5 Qd7 This is complicated since pawns are hanging in several places. I think it is about even. 8.Ne1!
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This regrouping idea works out nicely. 8...Bxe2 9.Qxe2 g6 10.Nd3 Nc6 11.c3 Qd7 12.Nxf4 Nxf4 13.Bxf4 h6 Black has to make some funny moves now and White gets the better game. 13...0–0–0 14.Bh6 Qe6 15.Qf3 The f-pawn is hard to defend. 14.Be3 Before Black castles queenside he has to defend the f-pawn. 14...Rh7 15.Qd2 Now the h-pawn is attacked. 15...Bf8?! 15...0–0–0 16.Bxh6 Rdh8 17.Bf4 Kb8 White is still better in my estimation, but this has got to be more enterprising for Black. 16.Qd3 0–0–0 17.Nd2 Be7 18.b4 Black is all discombobulated and has no attack. 18...Re8 19.Nb3 Qe6 20.a4 Nd8 21.b5 Rhh8 22.Bd2 Ref8 23.a5 Kb8 24. Rae1
White has superior space and a winning attack. Black cannot even play ..f6. 24...a6 24...h5 25.Nc5 Bxc5 26.dxc5 After 27.b6 Black's king is in trouble. 25.Rb1 White zips back to the b-file which will soon become open. 25...axb5 26.Qxb5 Qc6 27.Qd3 Ka7 28.Be3 f5 Black finally gets some sort of counterplay with this break. Unfortunately, it comes too late. White already has the open file against the Black king and the possibility for more breaks with c4. 29.Nd2 Ne6 30.Rb5 Qa6 31.c4!
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Black has to create more weaknesses or let the e3-bishop become active. 31...c6 31...dxc4 32.d5+. 32.Rb6 Qxa5 33.c5 Kb8 34.Rfb1 Nd8 The knight is forced to go back to d8. 35.Nb3 Qa4 36.Qd2 g5 37.Ra1 Qc4 38.Na5 1–0 The queen is trapped. Lessons Learned ●
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White targets the f7-square since it is along the half-open or open f-file and is the weakest square in the Black position before castling since it is only protected by the king. On one hand, White is striving for attacking chess and a quick victory. The rook on f1, the bishop on c4, and quick development make the King's Gambit very dynamic. On the other hand, with better defenses known to Black now, White can also strive for more positional advantages such as central control, open files, and pawn structure.
Practitioners Many players have essayed the King's Gambit from the days of swashbuckling chess to more modern times. ●
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Paul Morphy – Morphy was an American player in the nineteenth century who excelled at open games and tactics. Many people are familiar with his combinational victories. Boris Spassky – The tenth world champion played this opening on a
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number of occasions. He had great results with it, even beating Fischer. Joe Gallagher – The British grandmaster has written about the King's Gambit. He has won the British Chess Championship.
Further Reading ●
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The King's Gambit for the Creative Aggressor by Thomas Johansson (Kania, 1998). I have been impressed by this author. Winning with the King's Gambit by Joe Gallagher (Henry Holt and Co.). Fischer's famous article, written after his loss to Spassky, "A Bust to the King's Gambit."
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