Opening
Theory Archive by Jeremy Silman
Some excellent articles on a number of opening topics, some in response to
reader's questions and some as regular opening articles.
Bits & Pieces by
Andrew Martin
A series of excellent articles that, I suppose, make up the bits and pieces
of a repertoire. He also did several independent and equally excellent pieces
at Chessville
under the Bits & Pieces name as well as at the defunct InternetChess site.
Hard
Chess, by Mark Morss
Focused on correspondence chess and openings, Moss's articles feature some
of the deepest opening analysis on the web.
La
Novedad Teórica del Día,
by GM Juan Sebastián Morgado
Excellent games and analysis in Spanish, from the Ajedrez-de-Estilo website.
Chess
Siberia, Openings Clubs by Boris Schipkov
Annotated games by opening, covering a wide range of theory.
Instructions by
IM Guillermo Rey
An excellent series of articles from the now defunct Inside Chess website.
Chess
Openings Handouts by the Exeter Chess Club
A superb collection of materials covering the openings for beginner to club
players. See also their Alternate
Contents Page organized by opening.
Opening
Technical Articles from the Barnet Chess
Club
An excellent set of articles, several cited below, including the Nimzo-Indian
Rubinstein, the King's Indian Saemisch, Queen's Gambit Declined, Benko Gambit,
Sveshnikov Sicilian, and others.
Openings
for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro
Well-known for his Chess.fm lectures and his
excellent forum, Pete Tamburro has been writing
on the opening for some time as these articles
on the Colle, Nimzo-Indian, BDG, Owen, and Max
Lange attest.
Mjae
French site featuring a wide range of opening articles of generally excellent
quality. Check it out, or see the direct links below.
Aperturas at Hechiceros
This site may not load in Netscape, so try Internet Explorer instead. Lists
a number of opening articles in Spanish.
Gambits
Gratis!
A collection of comprehensive database trees of several gambit lines. Very
useful materials (most cited below).
Scid
Daily Opening Reports
Offers a useful utility and other materials. But the best things here, if
you scroll down, are the opening reports and stats. Very useful (many cited
below).
Gambit
Corner by Bertrand Weegenaar at IECG
Some interesting articles and games, complete
with PGNs.
Gambit
Chess
Offers links to games and analysis featuring the classic gambits. Also organizes
thematic tournaments on the web. Features an excellent links page.
Chess
Kamikaze
The name says it all. You get some really crazy gambits here. No longer on
the web, but some of the pages are in the archive.
FM
David Levin Chess
See the Opening Analysis section of the site for excellent articles on specific
lines in the KID and Alekhine's, among others.
Chess
City Magazine (Openings)
Contains interesting games and analysis in offbeat and gambit lines. A bit
of a clunky interface, but tons of good content if you look for it.
Unorthodox
Openings by Eric Schiller
Brief analysis of a huge number of unusual lines (from the archives).
Kaissiber by Stefan Buecker
Features interesting analysis. In German.
Enciclopedia
Dei Gambetti
A lost Italian site that has lots of older analysis of gambit lines.
Theory from Hellas Chess Club
A lost Greek site that had some useful theory on Open, Semi-open, and Closed lines.
Colaboradores by Alejandro Di Battista
Very well annotated recent games with reflection
on the openings. In Spanish.
A
Survey of the Openings
Part of the Chess Corner web site, offering a good introduction to the major
openings for beginners. Some openings include sample games and book recommendations.
Mike
Donnelly
Dr. Donnelly's site serves as a collectioin point for correspondence players to publish their PGN files, many of which offer very useful commentary on the openings in question. Go through his archive and download away.
Chess
Publishing
A pay site but with some free content in the "Guests" area. The
site is not well designed for usability (especially considering it's a pay
site) but it has excellent GM commentary.
Chess
Megapage Openings
Some very good analysis of several important openings. I've discovered recently,
though, that the site now requires a login, but I can't figure out how to
register.
Rajmund
Emanuel
Some detailed analysis of gambit lines.
Chess
Openings by Adam Bozon
Discusses some very unorthodox lines that might be worth a try in speed chess.
Ace
Chess Openings by Nick Cummings
Geared toward the beginning club player, recommending gambit openings and
the rather strange (if original) Gibbens Gambit 1.d4 Nf6 2.g4?!! Nxg4 3.e4
with space and initiative.
Chess
Openings: The Diagrams by Edwin Schoen
Sudbury
Chess Club
See their pages on openings, with java viewer.
ChessDatabase
This site offers to annotate your game with others
from their database, which might be a useful
way of studying the opening.
Opening Traps
A collection of PGN files in various openings.
Alekhine's
Defense (1.e4 Nf6)
Alekhine's
Defense: Mokele Mbembe Variation by Bill
Wall
Some games and analysis concerning 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Ne4!?
Alekhine's
Defense: The Retreat Variation by Bill
Wall
Games and analysis concerning 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Ng8?!
Alekhine's
Game of the Week
A site devoted to Alekhine's Defense.
Alekhine's Defense
Analysis of the line 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.Nc3 Nxc3 with PGN games appended. See also Sidelines in the Alekhine's Defense.
Tal-Eversole, National Open USA 1988 by Brian Wall
This game begins 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.Nc3 Nxc3 4.bxc3 d5 5.Ba3 Bf5!? with additional games in the opening.
Opening
Lanes #57 by Gary Lane
Discusses 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bb5!?
FM
David Levin Chess features some interesting
Alekhine analysis, including the main line Nf3, ....g5 in the
Four Pawns Attack and a gambit line against 3.Nc3 e6 4.Nxd5 exd5 5.Qf3 with 5....Nc6.
Alekhine's
Defense, Four Pawns Attack by Jeremy
Silman
Discusses the idea of ....g5 in the Four Pawns.
Djurhuus-Agdestein,
Stikkamp 2000
A wild Four Pawns attack, where Black sacs the exchange but gets play against
White's King in the center.
Alekhine's Defense by Nick Merticas from the Hellas Chess Club
Useful theory on the Four Pawns Attack, but from 1996 (in the archives).
Alekhine's
Defense from Chess Corner
Alekhine's
Defense PGN from Pitt Archives
La
Defensa Alekhine by Mario Valverde
At Hechiceros, with fully annotated PGN to download at the bottom of the
page.
Neue
Aufforderung zum Tanz Auf dem Vulkan by Stefan
Bucker
Analyzes a line in the Alekhine's (commonly
thought to be strong for White) as playable
for Black.
Bishop's
Opening / Urusov Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4)
For
links to the Bishop's
Opening or Urusov
Gambit, consult the appropriate links pages
elsewhere in this site.
Le
Gambit Boden-Kieseritzky from Mjae
1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3!? Nxe4 4.Nc3
Belgrade
Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4
exd4 5.Nd5)
This line is not recommended, but you should know about it as White.
Belgrade
Gambit and Other Knightmares
Bruce Monson's excellent coverage of this interesting gambit opening is
no more (though you can get a sense of what it looked like from the Web
Archive link above)!
Blackburne
Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4?!)
Blackburne
Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4?!
Blackburne
Shilling Gambit by Bill Wall
Blackburne's
Shilling Gambit by Paul Valle
Some unusual analysis and history here that
adds another dimension to this gambit idea.
Scroll down the page to find it. From the
archives.
Blackburne
Gambit by Tim McGrew
A Gambit Cartel article showcasing a reader's games with the "gambit." He
also had a follow-up
article.
Jeremy
Silman also has a note about the Blackburne.
Caro-Kann
Defense (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5)
The easiest way to attack the Caro-Kann is with the Advance Variation 3.e5.
But the main lines with 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 also lead to some fun for White,
especially if Black chooses the passive 4....Nd7. Gambiteers may also enjoy
the idea of transposing to the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit with 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3!?
Other attacking schemes arise from the exchange variation.
B12:
Caro-Kann Defense, Advance Variation Part
One (Theory) and Part
Two (Training) by Sasa Velickovic
A wonderful excerpt from the Informant series on this important line.
Shirov-Anand,
Wijk aan Zee 2003, Advance Variation
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3.
Kasparov-Karpov,
Linares 2001 annotated by Lubomir Ftacnik
A Kasparov innovation in the Nc3 Advanced.
Loc-Dikmen, Correspondence 2003 (Download ZIP PGN file), annotated by Loc
An interesting game to download direct from Mike Donnely's site,
featuring the moves 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nc3 Qb6 5.Bd3!?
Caro-Kann
Advance Variation by Craig Sadler
A useful table of games and moves.
Bits
and Pieces Opening Forum by IM Andrew Martin
A very interesting analysis of the Advanced
variation with 4.Ne2!? See also the Response
follow-up.
Caro-Kann
Advance Variation from Pitt
Tal-Botvinnik,
WC Match 1961 annotated by Eric Schiller
Discusses Botvinnik's idea of meeting the advance variation with an immediate
3...c5!?
B17:
Caro-Kann Defense. 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3
dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Ng5.
The
Refutation of the 4....Nd7 Caro-Kann? by
Andrew Martin
Analyzes the game Ganguly-Speelman, Gibraltar Masters 2004.
Anand-Bologan,
Dortmund 2003 annotated by Anand
Features 4....Nd7 5.Ng5, annotated in Informator style (scroll down the
page to find the game).
Anand-Bologan,
Dortmund 2003 annotated by Boris Schipkov
Opening
Lanes #66 by Gary Lane
Discusses the interesting idea 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Bg5!?
with an obvious threat and, if Black spots it, a plan of rapid queenside
castling.
Strictly
for Amateurs: Crushing the Caro-Kann by
Bobby Ang
Analyzes the interesting line 1.e4 c6 2.d4
d5 3.Nd2 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6
7.N1e2!? in a game lost by Miles as Black.
Reti-Tartakower,
Vienna 1910
Starts 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nf6 Qd3!?
Le
variante Spielmann de la Caro-Kann from Mjae
Analyzes the interesting idea of 2.Nc3 and
3.Qf3!?
Morozevich-Bologan,
Sochi 2004 annotated by Boris Schipkov
A wonderful attacking game for White featuring the unusual system 1.e4
c6 2.d4 d5 3.f3!?
Caro-Gambit
with f3 by Rajmund
Covers the 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3!? gambit, which seems an improved
version of the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit.
Canning
the Caro, The Milner Barry Gambit, Part
One and Part
Two by Tim Mcgrew
Covers the 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.f3!? gambit originated by British
GM Milner-Barry.
Three
Traps in the Caro-Kann by Georgi Orlov
Panov
Attack: Fianchetto Variation by Eric Schiller
An
Unusual Weapon Against the Caro-Kann by
Andrew Martin
Actually, this is pretty much the usual stuff of repertoire books: the
Panov-Botvinnik Attack with c5. See Part
One, Part
Two and Part
Three.
Amendment
Caro-Kann by Rajmund Emanuel
Covers 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c3, which was used by Fischer and
others.
Center
Game (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4)
The
Center Game Takes Center Stage by Tim
Harding
Discusses the old-fashioned Center Game with 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qe3.
Who
Was Winawer? by Tim Harding
An excellent article that focuses on Winawer's
numerous opening ideas. If you scroll down
you will find the game Winawer-Steinitz, Nuremburg
1896 well annotated, featuring a pawn-sac in
the Center Game by White.
McCrum-Roth,
Ulster Ch. 1893 annotated by McCrum
A blast from the past featuring a Center
Game success.
Levi-Zhao
Zong Yuan, Australia 1999 annotated by John-Paul
Wallace
Scroll down for this interesting Black victory
in the Center Game.
Mittelgambit
A comprehensive analysis.
Opening
Lanes #08 by Gary Lane
Discusses, among other things, playing the
Center Game with 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6
4.Qa4!?
Damiano
Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6?!)
Yes, believe it or not, there are even some
articles on this silly line. White can choose
between the complicated 3.Nxe5! or the simple
and good 3.Bc4. But why are you playing 2.Nf3
anyway when you can play 2.Bc4 in the first
place? :-)
The
Tactics of Mistake and Life
on the Edge by Tim McGrew
About making the Damiano work for you after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6?!
Extraordinary
Accidents by IM Nikolay Minev
Discusses the game Schiffers-Chigorin, St.
Petersburg 1897.
Danish
Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.d4)
Skandinavisches
Gambit and Goering
A comprehensive analysis.
Danish
Pastry and Steinitz
for the Defense by Tim McGrew
Uses the publication of Müller and Voigt's excellent book Danish
Dynamite to discuss some games with the Goring and Danish.
Charousek-Wolner,
Kassa 1893 annotated by Tim McGrew
A Danish Gambit with a great finish.
The
Danish from AceChess
Elephant
Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5)
We're
Going on an Elephant Hunt (Kibitzer #15) by
Tim Harding
Covers the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d5.
Elephant
Gambit
A comprehensive database tree / opening report.
La
Difesa Cozio by Giorgio Cadezza
Discusses the history and theory of 1.e4 e5
2.Nf3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5.
The
Elephant Walk
Evans
Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4!?)
The
Search for Truth in the Evans Gambit and Chigorin's
Experience with the Evans Gambit by Tim
Harding
These articles feature Harding's typically excellent historical research
combined with excellent opening analysis.
Evans
Gambit
This site offers the scores of some significant and historical games, but
it also includes a link to games you can play online.
Evans
Gambit Part
One, Part
Two, and Redux by
Larry Christiansen and Jeremy Silman
An excellent series of articles on the recent wave of interest in this
line and the critical variations.
Short-Svidler,
Internet Grand Prix 2000
A game featuring Kasparov's line against 5....Be7, annotated by Sakaev.
Evans
Gambit
A comprehensive analysis and statistical summary.
Welcome
to the Evans Gambit by Thomas Stock
Offers fairly good coverage of the main lines of the gambit, including
history and bibliography sections.
Evans
Gambit
Part of the Chess Corner Opening Survey, offering many full games. Scroll
down to the bottom of the page to view 50 Accepted and 50 Declined games.
Evans Gambit from the Hellas Chess Club
Older analysis (pre-Kasparov) but useful for club players, from the archives.
Le
Gambit Evans from Mjae
Evans Gambit from the Openings Club website
Modestly useful content, but annoying pop-up ads.
French
Defense (1.e4 e6)
French
Defense for Beginners from the Exeter
Chess Club
A good overview for beginners to club players.
French
Defense - Advance Variation
Brief but useful analysis of the key line from the Chess Megapage site.
Svidler-Volkov,
Russia 2003 - annotated by Svidler
Black plays the early Qb6 and Bd7 against the Advance Variation and White
discovers some wonderful sacrificial lines in a complicated middlegame.
Annotated Informator style (scroll down the page to find the game).
Svidler-Volkov,
Russia 2003 annotated by Boris Schipkov
New
Ideas in the Advance French by Georgi
Orlov
Covers 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Nh6!?
Masters
of the French: Korchnoi Faces the Advance
Variation by IM Guillermo Rey
From the archives: a close examination of Kupreichik-Korchnoi, Muenster
Open 1996, featuring Nh6 for Black.
Mike
Bateman-Andre Lorrain, 1993, annotated
by Ralph Marconi
An interesting game in the Milner-Barry gambit of the Advance French.
US
Open Tactics and Novelties by IM Nikolay Minev
Annotates a game with the Milner-Barry Gambit.
Ponomariev-Ivanchuk,
2001-2002 WCC Moscow annotated by Christian
Gabriel for Tromso Sjakklub
The first game of the match was a French, Burn variation. You can also
play over other games from this interesting match with annotations.
Ponomariev-Ivanchuk,
2001-2002 WCC Moscow annotated by Boris
Schipkov Also annotated by Alejandro
di Battista.
Polgar-Burkes,
Budapest 2003 annotated by Schipkov
Svidler-Bareev,
Corus Wijk aan Zee 2004 annotated by
Schipkov
A powerful performance by White (who wins in 17 moves) in the Burn variation.
Topalov-Shirov,
Leon 2001 annotated by Alejandro di Battista
Shirov-Bareev,
FICE WC New Delhi 2000 annotated by Schipkov
French
Defense. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 by Georgi
Orlov
Includes coverage of typical endgame positions.
A
Sacrifice that Failed by Guillermo Rey
Discusses the game J. Polgar-Hernandez, Mexico
2000 in which Black makes an interesting sacrifice
against the line 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6
4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2.
Opening
Lanes #59 by Gary Lane
Focuses mostly on lines in the Classical French.
Franzosisch
Systeme mit 3.Sc3 by Armin Fingerhut
Banzai!
The Haldane Variation by IM Andrew Martin
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Qh5!?
Sakaev-Ulibin,
Dubai 2000
Sakaev annotates his game, which begins 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5
Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.h4.
French
- Chatard-Alekhine with Breyer's ...c5 (also
in PDF)
A comprehensive reference.
Svidler-Short,
Internet GP 2000
A MacCutheon annotated by Sakaev.
Bezgodov-Sakaev,
Moscow 1999
A wild line after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2, annotated
by Sakaev.
Anand-Shirov,
FIDE WCh KO Teheran 2000, annotated by
Shipov
A hard-fought game following 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2,
won by White.
Opening
Lanes #08 by Gary Lane
Discusses, among other things, the French Two Knights, which usually transposes
to Classical lines.
Novedad
en la Francesa, Variante Winawer by Julian
Moreno
The idea for White of playing h4-h5-h6 is explored.
La
Francaise Winawer avec 4.Cge2, Part One and
Part
Two, from Mjae
Who
Was Winawer? by Tim Harding
An excellent article that focuses on Winawer's numerous opening ideas.
Leko-Radjabov,
Linares 2003 annotated by Boris Schipkov
Lutz-Korchnoi,
Essen 2002 annotated by Boris Schipkov
Terra
Incognita by Tim McGrew
Focuses on the Reti Gambit with 1.e4 e6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2!?
French
Defense: Wing Gambit
Part of what appears to be a very ambitiously conceived French
Defense web site that is still under construction at this writing.
French Defense: Wing Gambit
From the archives.
Diemer
Duhm Gambit
After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.c4!? you get positions that are a mix of Blackmar-Diemer and Queen's Gambit. Fans of the Urusov Gambit will find these wide-open positions, sometimes
with Q-side castling for White fun to play.
Le Gambit Duhm-Diemer by Sebastien Meunier
A French article on this wild line.
Alapin-Diemer
Gambit
1.e4
e6 2.d4 d5 3.Be3!?
Winckelmann-Reimer
Gambit
A gambit response to the Winawer variation with 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4
4.a3 Bxc3 5.bxc3 dxe4 6.f3.
Amendment
French by Rajmund Emanuel
Interesting coverage of 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.Nc3!? with the idea of
4....cxd4 5.Nb5!? The web design could use work but the analysis and games
are good.
French Tarrasch from the Hellas Chess Club
Older analysis from the archives.
Opening Lanes #46 by Gary Lane
Discusses two games with the Tarrasch and one exchange variation.
Simple
Chess by Guillermo Rey
Discusses the open Tarrasch French in Akopian-Shirov,
Merida 2000.
An
Impressive Victory by Guillermo Rey
A victory for Black in the closed Tarrasch
in Benjamin-Gurevich, France 2000.
Giuoco
Piano / Italian Game (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6
3.Bc4)
Giuoco
Piano on Trial by Tim Harding
A great three piece article. See Part
1, Part
2, Part
3, and Part
4.
The
Modern Italian Game
Good explanation of the main lines and positional themes from the Exeter
web site.
Have
the Giuoco's Fangs Been Pulled? by Jeremy
Silman
A
Shilling in the Mailbag and Readers'
Showcase by Tim McGrew (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3
Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4!??)
Blackburne
Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4?!
Giuoco
Piano by Craig Sadler
A useful table of moves and games.
Giuoco
Piano
From the Chess Corner Opening Survey. Scroll down to view 262 sample games
online.
Moller
Attack - Ancient
Spanish language article from Hechiceros.
Moller
Attack - Modern
Spanish language article (based on Soltis analysis) from Hechiceros.
Halasz
Gambit System (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4 or
1.e4 c5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4)
Anatomy
of a Gambit: Dissecting the Halasz by Glenn
Budzinski
The seminal article on this odd line, covering
history and theory. Focuses on 1.e4 e5, treating
it as a King's Gambit with great attacking
ideas (especially in speed chess).
The
Vampire Gambit: Can we bury it now? by Tim
Harding
Adds significant background on the Hungarian
correspondence player who originated the line
and focuses on the search for a refutation,
if one exists.
Halasz
Gambit from Sah Mat Lista
Very basic coverage for club players, with
appended games.
il
Gambetto Halasz by Giorgio Cadazza
An article in Unorthodox Openings Newsletter
(see pages 9-13), featuring several well annotated
games presented in systematic fashion to analyze
the Sicilian version of the Halasz with 1.e4
c5 2.d4 exd4 3.f4.
Halloween
Gambit
Halloween+Gambit
Games Zipped from Giorgio Cadezza
The
Halloween Attack by Steffen Jakob
The
Halloween Attack in the Four Knights by
Steffen Jakob
King's
Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.f4)
Killing
the King's Gambit by Ignacio Marin
From the Archive. Covers a line in the Kieseritzky Gambit.
Le
Gambit de Roi 7 from /mjae
Featuring
Keene's idea of 2....Qh4+
Le
Gambit de Roi 10 from Mjae
Features 2....Nc6, which received favorable
attention in NIC Yearbook.
The
Bishop's Gambit by Tim McGrew
A good introduction to the venerable 1.e4 e5
2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4!?
Le
Gambit de Roi 11, Le Gambit du Fou from
Mjae
Features analysis of the Bishop's Gambit 2....exf4
3.Bc4.
Morozevich-Aleksandrov,
China 2000 annotated by Yasser Seirawan
A wild game featuring the typical Knight sacrifice at f3 by White rather
than the Kieseritzky approach. Also annotated at
Chess Cafe.
Not
Quite Winning with the Allgaier Gambit and
Last
Rites for the Allgaier Gambit? by Tim
Harding
Who's
Afraid of the King's Gambit? by Eric
Schiller
From the Archive. The name says it all: Black has nothing to fear if he
plays carefully.
Bits
and Pieces by Andrew Martin
A close discussion of one of Martin's games with the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3
Nc6 3.f4 exf4 4.d4 Qh4+.
A
Lazy Player's Guide to the King's Gambit
with 3.Bc4
From the archive. Covers 1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4.
The
Ideas behind the King's Gambit
A good introduction from the Exeter Chess Club site.
King's
Gambit by Thomas Johansson
Some annoying pop-up ads, but good content.
Authier-Simmelink,
IECG 2000 annotated by Alain Authier
Black draws with the Wagenbach Variation --
3....h4!?
King's
Gambit games from Chess World to download
The King's Gambit from the Opening Club website
Beware the pop-up ads, but some useful analysis for club players.
Falkbeer
Countergambit from Hechiceros
Falkbeer
Gambit
A comprehensive analysis with statistics.
Latvian
Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5!?)
The Latvian Gambit with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5!? is
a great surprise weapon. If you get serious about
it, you should definitely pick up Tony Kosten's The
Latvian Gambit Lives, which might convince you
that it really does....
Roman's
Latvian Gambit page, from the Archive.
Marek's
Latvian Gambit site, from the Archive.
El
Gambito Leton from Hechiceros
An interesting article from Black's point of view.
Petroff's
Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6)
Everything
Petrov
Includes a forum and databases.
Petrov's
Defense: Cochrane Gambit
Spanish language article from Hechiceros.
Smerdon-Solomon,
Australia 1999 annotated by John-Paul Wallace
A wild game that was supposed to be a forced
draw after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 Nxe4 4.Bd3
d5 5.Nxe5 Nd7 6.Nxf7 but got a hell of a lot
more complicated as the IM refused to yield
a draw to the master.
Philidor's
Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6)
Philidor
Defense, Part One, by IM Attila Schneider
Good general coverage of the opening in a text-based format, with diagrams
and color coding.
Philidor
Defense, Part Two, by Attila Schneider
Not
Exactly Opera Box by Tim McGrew
On 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Bg4!? 4.dxe5 Nd7!?
The
Albin-Blackburne Gambit by Stefan Bucker
Excellent history and analysis of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3
d6 3.d4 Bg4!? 4.dxe5 Nd7!?
Going
Fishing by Tim McGrew
On 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4!? Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 h6 6.Nf3 e4.
An
Interesting Gambit in the Philidor Defense by
Franco Daverio
From the defunct Thomas Stock website (preserved in the archives), suggests
the crazy idea 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Qxd4 Be7!?? 5.Qxg7 Bf6 6.Qg3
Ne7 followed by Rg8 with rapid development for the pawn.
Philidor's Defense by Yiannis Goumas from the Hellas Chess Club
Useful theory for club players, from the archives.
Philidor
Defense
From the archives -- a useful intro to club
players.
Opening
Lanes #01 by Gary Lane
Presents Motwani's refutation of the Philidor's Counter Gambit.
Philidor Lecture 3 Notes by Pete Tamburro
Tamburro presents the basic refutation of the PCG in his forum.
Pisarsky-Del Rosario, Kolty Chess Club Championship 2003
An interesting game in the 4.dxe5 line.
Filidorov Kontragambit
Analyzes the recommended line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5!? 4.Nc3! (though without Motwani's ideas) and includes some games in PGN.
Paul Morphy from the Felixstowe Chess Club
Analyzes some games by Morphy with the Philidor's Counter Gambit. You can also find annotated PGNs of these games elsewhere online.
The Riddle of Bird vs. Morphy by Karsten Müller
Though this article does not discuss the opening of this famous Philidor Counter Gambit game, it does offer much interesting commentary on the famous concluding sacrificial combination.
Kobese-Van Tonder, South Africa 2002 match game
Annotated game featuring 4.Nc3 against the Philidor Counter Gambit.
Cunningham-Fuchs, Boulder Coloroda Open 2000 annotated by Mark Scheidies
An interesting amateur game with 4.Nc3.
Acosta-Gutierrez, Mendellin 1979 annotated by IM Alejandro Acosta
Annotated game featuring 4.Bc4 and poor play by Black.
Pirc
Defense (1.e4 d6) and Modern (1.e4
g6)
Pirc-Ufimtsev
Defense by Boris Schipkov
Annotates Luther-Gulko, Corus 2001 featuring the Austrian Attack with 5....O-O
6.Bd3 Na6.
Pirc
and Modern
Some great analysis of the Austrian Attack mainly.
Heroic
Tales by Hans Ree
One of the first to celebrate the game Kasparov-Topalov.
Dodgy Games with Dodgy Names by IM Andrew Martin
Article covers games with the 150 Attack and Barry Attack.
Sistema
Gurgenidze from Hechiceros
1.e4 d6 2.d4 g6 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 d5!? 5.e5 h5.
Thomas-Hoshor,
Georgia 1997 annotated by Mark Hoshor
Features the Gurgenidze system.
The
Lion
A Black defensive system with d6 and Nd7. Does not seem to have teeth.
Mankiewicz-Hoshor,
Midwest Masters 1997 annotated by Mark Hoshor
An interesting and well-annotated game featuring
the Averbach system of the Modern Defense.
Pirc Defense: h-pawn Attack
From the archives.
Pirc by Armin Fingerhut
Pirc
Defense -- Checa / Czech Variation by M.R.
Martini
The Modern Defense by GM Nigel Davies
Ponziani (1.e4
e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3)
Opening
Lanes #68 by Gary Lane
Analyzes several Ponziani lines from the Black perspective.
Opening Lanes #54 by Gary Lane
Discusses a game with 3....d5. For further discussion,
see Opening
Lanes #09 on 3....d5 4.Bb5 Bc5!? 5.Qe2.
Ponziani Power (Updates) by David Taylor
Additional and updated analysis, from the Gambit Chess site.
Ponziani
Power by David Taylor, reviewed by Stephen
Hamm
In reviewing the correspondence champ's book, Hamm provides a useful introduction
and overview to this under-analyzed opening.
Le
debut Ponziani by Bernard Guerin
Portuguese
(1.e4 e5 2.Bb5!?)
Winning
with the Portuguese by IM Andrew Martin
From the archives. This article goes far toward
making 2.Bb5!? look almost respectable. If you
think of it as playing a reversed 1.e4 e5 as White
with a potentially useful tempo, the line become
very interesting.
Ruy
Lopez / Spanish (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5)
Adam
Bozon's Ruy Lopez page
Covers a wide range of variations.
Opening
Lanes #09 by Gary Lane
Covers a line in the Classical Variation that
goes 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Bc5 4.c3 d5!?
The
Lopez Grip, Part 1 by IM Andrew Martin
Part of a three-part series at Chessville,
this first installment features a Steinitz-like
Black system to strong-point e5 and White's
ways of securing long-term pressure.
The
Lopez Grip, Part 3 by IM Andrew Martin
Covers an early Fischer favorite: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3
Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 b5 5.Bb3 Na5!? from the
White perspective.
Murder
on the Long Diagonal, by Ron Henley
Discusses the Archangel Defense, with the fianchettoed Bb7.
Jaenisch
Gambit
A comprehensive analysis and statistical summary. Also called the Schliemann
Coutnergambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5!?)
Schliemann / Jaenisch by Jos Heesen
Includes history and analysis of the critical lines.
Lopez
Grip, Part 2: The Schliemann by Andrew Martin
Part of a series at Chessville, this article
features 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5!? from
White's perspective, recommending the safe
4.d3 playing for positional pressure.
Ruy
Lopez, Bird's Defense by John Watson
Consider's Bird's original idea of preventing Qh5 and creating kingside
play with an early ....h5!?
Has
the Marshall Attack been Refuted on the Internet? by Tim Harding
Spanish Marshall: Some New Ideas to Try by Tim Harding from Chess Mail
A great collection of annotated games just chock full of innovative ideas. If you play the Marshall Gambit as either Black or White, you'll want to visit this site and pick up Harding's CD.
Marshall Counter Attack from the Hellas Chess Club
Useful analysis from the archives.
Opening
Lanes #05 by Gary Lane
Covers Marshall and anti-Marshall lines.
Frank
Marshall on the Marshall Attack in the Spanish edited by Eric Schiller
Capablanca-Marshall,
New York 1918 by Bill Wall
The game that gave birth to the Marshall Attack/Gambit,
well annotated by Bill Wall.
Strictly
for Amateurs: Honing your Email Arsenal by
Bobby Ang
Covers sharp lines in the Open Lopez.
Scandinavian
Defense / Center Counter Defense (1.e4
d5)
Center
Counter Defense
The Chess Corner site offers good general coverage of the main lines.
Scandinavian
4...Qh5: coffeehouse bluff or serious weapon? by
Schliemann Mann
A very useful forum posting on the usenet concerning the Scandinavian.
Can
White Successfully Avoid the Dreaded Portuguese
Attack? and Refutation
of the Portuguese? by Jeremy Silman (and
John Watson)
The former especially is a very smart and useful analysis of basic White
strategies to avoid the dreaded Portuguese.
The
Patzer Variation by Andrew Martin
Excellent coverage of the interesting idea 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qe5+!?
from Black's perspective.
The
Essential Centre Counter series at Chessville
by IM Andrew Martin
In August 2004, in anticipation of his Center Counter book, Martin published
several articles on the Scandinavian on Unusual
lines , Mainline
with d3, and Mainline
with d4.
Scandinavian
Defense by Roman
Covers 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.Bb5+ from White's point of view.
