Do you play gambit openings?

[Kevin Pacey]

Here's a poll to see how many respondents play gambit openings, normally, occasionally, or never. Gambit openings involve true sacrifices of material. Thus merely playing the Queen's Gambit (a psuedo-gambit), would not qualify, unless you play a variation of the QG that truly sacrifices material.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Do you play gambit openings?

In case anyone is wondering how I define 'normal' use of gambits, one gambit I play normally is the Evans Gambit. I use it just about every chance I can. I didn't mean by 'normal' use of gambits that one has to play a gambit 'normally' against just about everything the opponent throws at one.

[Larry Castle]

Re: Do you play gambit openings?

I always play the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit as white. 1.d4-d5 2.e4-de 3.Nc3.
I am addicted to this opening and there are many transpositions to the desired positions if my opponent tries to sidestep via the french,caro -kan, centre counter, Alekines etc. Lots of fun and good attacking positions for a mere pawn.

[Kevin Pacey]

Re: Do you play gambit openings?

I always play the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit as white. 1.d4-d5 2.e4-de 3.Nc3.
I am addicted to this opening and there are many transpositions to the desired positions if my opponent tries to sidestep via the french,caro -kan, centre counter, Alekines etc. Lots of fun and good attacking positions for a mere pawn.

The latest (4th) edition of ECO D doesn't even cover the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. The editors are known to take a dim view of offbeat openings. The Stonewall Attack (not a gambit) has also been removed from the latest ECO D, though one can reach it via 1.f4 etc, and it is still covered in the latest edition of ECO A.

[Larry Castle]

Re: Do you play gambit openings?

This is the beauty of an opening such as the Blackmar. Very few people study it or even know about it. Of course at GM level chess it would be sneered at but for a club or tournament player under say 2300 rating it is a great surprise weapon. The lines are very tricky and if black misplays or makes a mistake in move order the results can be devastating. In a tournament once after 1.d4-Nf6 2.f3 (intending after 2.....d5 to play 3.e4-de 4.Nc3.) my opponent looked at this apparently ridic move 2. f3 for 20 mins. before replying with d5. and he was an over 2000 player. I am not saying its the greatest opening but it has worked very well for me in tournament and blitz for years. Check out the games of Emil Diemer at chessgames .com and enjoy all the 25 move minatures.

[Egidijus Zeromskis]

Re: Do you play gambit openings?

In very rare occasions I play Falkbeer or Nimzowitsch counter-gambit not to allow an opponent to enjoy his gambit play :D

[Louis Morin]

Re : Re: Do you play gambit openings?

Here is a very interesting article on gambits:

http://www.chessville.com/UCO/CN/Psy...ssOpenings.htm