Takchess Chess Improvement

A Novice chessplayer works to get better at chess using an improvement program based upon the methods of Michael de la Maza and the teachings of Dan Heisman

Thursday, May 25, 2006

halloween gambit


Here is a Halloween Gambit game I have played today. It felt as though I had an inferior position with all the major pieces stacked but pulled it out in the endgame. An interesting point is that my opponent took over eight minutes to mull over the first 6 or so moves which lead to time trouble and poor endgame decisions.

2 Significant things I was happy in this game 1) I won with the Gambit 2) I won in the endgame .These are two things I am working on.The endgame choices seemed very clear to me and I saw quickly what I thought he should of played. I am interested in any comments on this game especially after 5....b-b5.

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[Event "Rated game, 20m + 5s"]
[Site "Main Playing Hall"]
[Date "2006.05.25"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Takchess"]
[Black "Ccc"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C47"]
[WhiteElo "1489"]
[BlackElo "1543"]
[PlyCount "69"]
[EventDate "2006.05.25"]
[TimeControl "1200+5"]

1. e4 {2} e5 {8} 2. Nf3 {4} Nc6 {12} 3. Nc3 {6} Nf6 {192} 4. Nxe5 {7} Nxe5 {26}
5. d4 {3} Bb4 {167} 6. Bd2 {63} Bxc3 {20} 7. Bxc3 {10} Nxe4 {9} 8. dxe5 {25}
Nxc3 {1} 9. bxc3 {2} O-O {6} 10. Bd3 {6} f5 {29} 11. Qf3 {10} d5 {26} 12. c4 {
28} Qe7 {66} 13. O-O {26} dxc4 {145} 14. Bxc4+ {30} Kh8 {2} 15. Rfe1 {15} Rb8 {
36} 16. a3 {17} b6 {12} 17. Ba2 {58} Bb7 {7} 18. Qf4 {7} Rbe8 {86} 19. e6 {27}
Bc8 {101} 20. Qe5 {23} Rf6 {20} 21. f4 {18} Bxe6 {67} 22. Bxe6 {40} Rxe6 {2}
23. Qxe6 {12} Qxe6 {3} 24. Rxe6 {2} Rxe6 {6} 25. Kf2 {9} Rd6 {42} 26. Re1 {7}
h6 {19} 27. c4 {16} Rd2+ {8} 28. Kg3 {5} h5 {38} 29. Re7 {19} Rd3+ {16} 30. Kh4
{6} Rd4 {43} 31. Kxh5 {4} Rxc4 {7} 32. Kg6 {2} Re4 {74} 33. Rxc7 {8} a5 {22}
34. Rc8+ {2} Re8 {9} 35. Rxe8# {(Lag: Av=0.30s, max=1.1s) 3} 1-0

posted by takchess @ 3:06 AM  

11 Comments:

  • At 5:11 AM, Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said…

    Do you mean 5...Bb4 perhaps? If so, i would have continued with 6. dxe5 and if 6... Nxe4 i would have continued 7. Qg4 or something like that. But i would have definitely played 6. dxe5. You gave Black a clear advantage by not playing 6. dxe5. If your opponent payed only a little more attention, he would have surely taken advantage of it.

     

  • At 6:01 AM, Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said…

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

     

  • At 6:05 AM, Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said…

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

     

  • At 6:11 AM, Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said…

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

     

  • At 6:14 AM, Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said…

    What is more important to tell you, i think, is that you should really pay attention to Black's reaction after 5. d4.

    5. d4 is the key move in this position. If Black does not move the Knight, he commits mistake (probably to your advantage). Black should play either 5... Nc6 or 5... Ng6. Any other option would be to go for an completely equal game materialwise by playing 5... Bd6. And if you play 6. dxe5 Black plays 6... Bxe5 and everything is equal.

    So remember; 5.d4 means Black must move Knight, with c6 or g6 as only options. if your opponent moves the Knight to another square then those two, after 5... Ng4 for instance, you'll regain the Knight by playing 6. e5.

    P.S. Sorry for so many removed comments. I had to adjust my last comment here and there.

     

  • At 7:19 AM, Blogger takchess said…

    Edwin this is very helpful. thanks. I am still learning the ideas behind the opening. I think I will play it often once I understand it better. In some of the lines I've played Fritz analyzed black ahead by only a fraction of a pawn after the Knight responses to D4. there is plenty of area for black to make mistakes!

     

  • At 7:44 AM, Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said…

    Like i mentioned on my blog, i am not to be considered an expert on the Halloween Gambit. But my personal view of the thought behind it (when Black plays a good game), is that you should try and develop your pieces in the most agressive way, hindering Black's development as much as you can, and constantly be on the look out for any tactical chances. But it is not an easy opening. You really gots to have your head straight for this one, If black gives you a good game!

     

  • At 7:54 PM, Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said…

    You do have this link, don't you? If you're really interested in the HG, i suggest you really take a close look at Minchev's games. I think he's the real HG expert.

     

  • At 8:01 PM, Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said…

    The link i just gave you also contains this game. It's exactly the same line you faced in your game, with 5...Bb4.

     

  • At 2:43 AM, Blogger takchess said…

    I am puzzled why they call this the 3 Knights opening in chessgames.com should it be the 4 knights?
    I played through your minev link from earlier. On part 2 of the first article linked below there is a link to pgn file of alot of Brauses Halloween games.

    http://www.chessville.com/instruction/Openings/Halloween_Gambit/Part_1.htm

    http://www.chessville.com/instruction/Openings/Halloween_Gambit/UON13HalloweenGambit.pdf

    I am just trying to catch the spirit of the lines right now and have a long way to go. thanks again for your help

     

  • At 4:10 AM, Blogger Edwin 'dutchdefence' Meyer said…

    You would say it is 4 Knights when you look at it :-)
    But i don't know what criteria chessgames.com uses for naming openings. And yes, i have seen the links you mentioned and got the HG PGN file. Well, wish you all the best with it ;-)
    Kick some *ss at the tourney.

     

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