70. The Refutation of the King’s Gambit – Part 10

{[%evp 0,50,26,3,6,-27,-21,-2,5,-33,-33,-36,-38,-34,-28,-18,-8,-8,-21,0,14,-4,
13,-18,0,23,27,27,27,17,62,8,-7,-15,6,-11,20,17,37,-17,-10,-10,-15,-23,3,4,0,
-21,-23,-25,-23,-28,-9]} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5
6. Bc4 {[#] As the move 6.Nxd5 is unable to solve the problems of the position,
many White players tried to play for a draw with 6.Bc4. In my opinion, this
contradicts the spirit of the King's Gambit and can be considered an admission
of failure. In order to achieve the coveted draw, White has to endure an
uphill fight, as his position is slightly worse at best. If you don't mind a
draw with White, it is better to play the English Opening or the Reti-Opening
Andersson style. There you also play for two results, but the potential win is
on your side and doesn't lay with the opponent.} Nxc3 (6... Qe7+ $5 {This
might be Black's most simple continuation, as it could lead to an ending with an
extra pawn.} 7. Qe2 Nxc3 {In practical games we see White exclusively opting
for dubious continuations, here.} 8. dxc3 $146 (8. bxc3 $2 Qxe2+ 9. Kxe2 Bd6
$17 {0-1 (35) Severijnen,A-Michiels,R (2264) Vlissingen 2005}) (8. Qxe7+ $2
Bxe7 9. dxc3 g5 10. g3 {This is better than 10.0-0, as the rook would be
active on the h-file, in case Black takes on g3.} (10. O-O $2 Nc6 $19 {0-1 (21)
Balkanci,G (1837)-Araboga,M (1999) ICCF email 2009}) 10... Bh3 $1 11. Ke2 Nc6
12. gxf4 gxf4 13. Bxf4 O-O-O $19 {Obviously, the exposed king is a big concern
for White. ½-½ (47) Terpstra,W (2213)-Carrettoni,A (2178) ICCF email 2015})
8... Qxe2+ 9. Bxe2 Bd6 {[#]} 10. Nd2 {That's the only move.} (10. O-O $2 h6 $19
) 10... O-O (10... Be6 11. Ne4 Be5 12. O-O Nd7 13. Bxf4 Bxf4 14. Rxf4 h6 $15 {
leaves Black with the better pawn structure.}) 11. Ne4 Re8 12. Nxd6 cxd6 13.
Kf2 g5 14. g3 fxg3+ 15. hxg3 f6 16. Be3 Nc6 17. Rad1 Rd8 18. Rd2 Ne5 {[#] Black's extra pawn gives him a distinct advantage.} 19. Rhd1 $2 Bg4 20. Rxd6
Rxd6 21. Rxd6 Bxe2 22. Kxe2 Re8 23. Rd4 Kf7 $19) 7. dxc3 (7. bxc3 Qe7+ $1 {
Now, White either has to exchange queens or he loses some time.} (7... Bd6 8. Qe2+
Qe7 9. Qxe7+ Kxe7 10. d4 $15 {1/2-1/2 (21) Bisse,V (1835)-Appelt,G (2054)
Dresden 2006}) 8. Be2 (8. Qe2 Qxe2+ 9. Bxe2 Bd6 $1 $146 10. d4 (10. Nd4 a6 $17)
10... O-O 11. O-O h6 $17) (8. Kf1 Nc6 $1 $146 9. d4 Qf6 $17) 8... Bg4 $1 $146
9. O-O Nd7 10. d4 g5 11. Bd3 O-O-O 12. Rb1 Qf6 $17 {White has no compensation
for the pawn.}) 7... Bd6 {This is the most ambitious move.} (7... Qxd1+ 8. Kxd1
Bd6 9. Re1+ Kf8 {leads to a slightly better endgame for Black.} 10. Ne5 (10.
Ng5 $2 Bg4+ 11. Be2 Bxe2+ 12. Rxe2 h6 13. Ne4 g5 $19 {0-1 (28) Jaspers,
T-Ivantsov,Y Houffalize 2011}) 10... Bxe5 11. Rxe5 Nd7 $1 $146 12. Rf5 (12. Ra5
b6 13. Rf5 f6 14. Bd5 Rb8 15. Rxf4 Ne5 $15) 12... f6 13. Rxf4 Ne5 14. Bd5 c6
15. Bb3 Ke7 16. Ke1 Re8 17. Kf1 Be6 $15 {Black commands the superior pawn majority.
}) 8. O-O (8. Qe2+ $2 Qe7 9. Qxe7+ Kxe7 10. O-O (10. Bd2 Be6 11. Bxe6 fxe6 $19
{1/2-1/2 (62) Milde,L (2070)-Korchut,A (2063) ICCF email 2013}) 10... Be6 11.
Re1 Kf6 $1 $19 {When the cat is out of the house, the mice dance on the table.
½-½ (29) Moore,G (2114)-Varnam,L (2122) Newmarket 2015}) 8... O-O 9. Nd4 {[#] } Qf6 (9... Qh4 $2 10. Qf3 $11 {1-0 (58) Kraft,K (2047)-Hawkins,J (1910) Vale
2018}) 10. g3 (10. Qf3 $2 g5 11. Bd3 Nc6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Qxc6 (13. h4 h6 $19)
13... Rb8 {White has regained the pawn, but all the activity is with Black, e.
g.} 14. b4 Bb7 15. Qd7 Rfe8 16. Bd2 Re6 17. Rae1 Be5 $19) (10. Bd3 $2 Nc6 $17 {
Challenging White's strong knight.}) 10... Nc6 $1 $146 {Returning the pawn
under favorable circumstances is generally a good method to meet a gambit. [#]}
(10... g5 $2 11. gxf4 g4 {1-0 (38) Hoffmeyer,F (2041)-Heiermann,L (1809) GER
email 2015} 12. f5 $13) 11. Bxf4 ({After} 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bxf4 Bh3 13. Bxd6
Bxf1 14. Bxf8 Bxc4 15. Bc5 Qg6 $15 { [#] Black has play against
White's king.}) 11... Bc5 12. Be3 (12. Rf2 $2 Qe7 $17 {[%cal Rg7g5]}) 12... Qg6
{[%cal Rc6e5,Rc8h3]} 13. Bd3 $8 (13. Qd3 $2 Ne5 14. Qxg6 hxg6 15. Be2 Bh3 16.
Rfe1 Rfe8 $17 {The many weak squares on his kingside
give White reasons to worry.}) 13... Qd6 14. Be4 Qe7 15. Qf3 Ne5 (15... Bd7 16.
Rae1 Rae8 $15) 16. Qg2 Nc4 17. Bf2 Nd2 18. Rae1 Nxe4 19. Qxe4 Qxe4 20. Rxe4 Bd7
21. Nb3 {The bishop pair has to be destroyed.} Bxf2+ (21... Bd6 22. Bc5 $15)
22. Kxf2 Rfe8 23. Rxe8+ Rxe8 24. Rd1 Bg4 25. Rd2 g5 $15 {[#] Black enjoys good
perspectives in this endgame due to his kingside majority.} *