Which is Better for White to Learn, KIA or King's Gambit?

If you don't like the KG, try the Urusov Gambit. The computer scores it as 0s so it must be pretty reliable. It starts out with the Bishop's opening, then white plays d4.

The one minor downside is that you can have 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bc5, transposing to the Giuccuo piano, but if they go 3...Nf6 for black, then you can play the Fried liver aka 4. Ng5, and this is another good attacking line (see Lolli Attack)

The ideas are usually pretty simple. The simple development like the bishop to g5, the knights go to c3 and f3 (Nc3 has to be timed appropiately, otherwise it's considered an inaccuracy because of and extra move black has), the rooks go to e1 and d1, and white castles queenside.



Multiple times have I thought about playing this in OTB!

I went from 1200 FIDE to 1900 FIDE, purely from learning openings. My tactics never improved from that time span (but they're starting to now), and my endgames only improved slightly from experience. Perhaps my middlegames improved, though.

If you want to be a titled player, you can't do it without studying endgames, it's pretty much the only way.

P.s. if you want to try the Urusov gambit against 1500s, here you go.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxUuueHFfFs

Also, the Urusov gambit is VERY VERY MUCH in a Morphy manner :p.

Here's a game by Morphy.



This game was played by Morphy and Schrufer in 1859. I guess it is a little more dry (despite the rook sack and smothered mate), but these are 2700s, what does one expect; they are going to play very technical. I think the Urusov gambit is fine? I heard it is a pretty dangerous weapon if you don't know it for black.

Edit: Schrufer I don't know much about him. He was probably like a 2000 at the time, based off the way he played in the game.

Franz Schrüfer (Oberailsfeld, 17 March 1823 - Bamberg 6 August 1909) was a famous German chess problem composer.

Ah, thank you for the interesting data.

@DavyKOTWF What do you think about the Urusov Gambit?

This line that you call Urusov is nowadays considered harmless.
In the above game black should have castled 10...o-o-o and is OK.
Black can also play 8...Qa5 with equality.
Black can also play 5...Bc5 which leads to the Max Lange, which is also considered equal.
It still makes for interesting chess, but it is heavily analysed.
This is the reason why grandmasters after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Nf6 nowadays play either 4 d3, or 4 Ng5, and not 4 d4.

@Battledressing Thanks for the Urosov idea. I'd tried it already for a couple of months and knew that Morphy game. Ha, and encountered it only once. Went back to FLA, because pretty much they never did Ne4 with Black and it became often 'harmless' like tpr said; it just looked too suspicious I guess to them. Still debating on the KG. At our little club, they never take the gambit; they know I try tricky stuff so they don't want to bite and it just goes into boring watching paint dry moves.
I look forward to trying the Lolli though.
Went from 1200 to 1900 on openings only eh? Wow. That'll make a lot of people cringe and frown. Heh.

@tpr Yes that's true, it is harmless and there is an underrated Bb4+ line that's pretty harmless for Black too. I just wanted to get a third idea out there! ))

@DavyKOTWF "Went from 1200 to 1900 on openings only eh? Wow. That'll make a lot of people cringe and frown. Heh."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXE5MZChB1Y

Chess is like nutrition. There is a lot of conflicting information. The people that cringe at me are the ones who are 2000 or lower on lichess. Why would I listen to them? They are like 1600 USCF in real life.

P.s. I think the Lolli is a good investment too. You can actually reach it from the Urusov Gambit move order, and you say you tried it for a couple months. What were your results? How long ago?

P.s. I don't know any theory of the KG; can't really help you there.

@Battledressing Very interesting. Thanks. I have fond memories of the Urusov, it occasionally did well for me. But kept hitting lines that confused me, because I'd forget where to go and usually go wrong. I've only been playing close to 3.5 years now, so that was 2 years ago.
I used to always run into the following and wasn't sure what to do. (black must have been playing perfectly to get to this)
What would you do here as White for move 5?
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6

Qe3? He then checks you with his B, you block with pawn, he backs to rim, then what?

Just 5 Qe3 is OK, but white has no advantage.

More solid is 3 Nf3 or 4 Nf3.

Didn't think I saw an advan either there. 4.Nf3 does look better at first, but what if 4...c5, then White has lost that easy pawn?

It is a gambit pawn. 4 Nf3 c5? 5 o-o is good for white. Black is behind in development.