lichess.org
Donate
Halloween Gambit
12345678abcdefgh
Refutation Ideas
SF 16 · 7MBNNUE
in local browser
1e4e52Nf3Nc63Nc3Nf64Nxe5?...The so-called Halloween Gambit.4...Nxe55d4Nc66d5Ne56...Bb4!?Recommended by Pinski and Kaufman apparently. Black can also give back the piece here and enjoy reasonable chances for a small advantage. White also has to be very careful here, as you can see in the analysis that follows. It's interesting to note that already in the lichess DB Black scores around 55% from here and even better after move 7.7.dxc6Nxe48.Qd4Qe79.Be3O-O10.Bd3Nxc311.bxc3Bd612.cxb7Bxb713.O-OBe58.Qe2?O-O!-+8.Qg4O-O9.Be2d510.Qf3bxc611.O-Of5-+8.cxd7+Bxd79.Bd2Bg4!!10.Be210.f3?Qh4+-+Bxe211.Qxe2Qxd2+12.Qxd2Nxd213.Kxd2O-O-O+-+7f4...This is one of White's main points - the large central pawn mass creates something of a super-charged Alekhine's Defense, except for the fact that White is playing down two points of material.7...Ng68e5Bc5!8...Ng89.d6and Black should at least be a little careful here, as a few bad things can happen to you, e.g.cxd610.exd6Nf6?10...Qf6!11.Qe2+Be712.dxe7Nxe712...Qxe713.f5Qxe2+14.Bxe2Ne715.g4+−13.Be3O-O14.O-O-O±9exf6O-O10Be2N...10.fxg7is way too greedy, for instanceRe8+11.Be2Qh4+12.g3Qh3-+and White's king position is positively terrible.10.Qd3Re8+11.Be2d612.Bd2Qxf613.Qg3b5!and White's position was on the brink in A.Kopylov -N.Biriukov, Tiumen 201310...Qxf610...Re8!?is also very reasonable.11Ne4Qb612Nxc5Qxc513Qd3Re814Bd2d615O-O-OBf5!16Qxf5Rxe217g3Qc4!Compare the activity of the pieces and king safety. Black is slightly for preference here in my opinion.