Monday, November 30, 2015

Philidor Counter Gambit 2015

A critical position in the Philidor Counter Gambit occurs after the opening moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 f5 4.Nc3 fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Neg5 exd4 7.Nxd4.

 
Now Black's best continuation may be 7...Bb4+ 8.c3 Qe7+ 9.Be2 Bc5 10.O-O Bxd4.


White does not have to take the bishop immediately.  Play could continue 11.Re1 Be5 12.f4 Qc5+ 13.Kh1 Ne7 14.Be3 Qc6 15.fxe5 O-O (or perhaps 15...h6 16 Nf3 O-O) with a complicated position.


If instead White takes at once with 11.cxd4, a likely continuation is 11...Qf6 12.Bd3 (or 12.Re1 Ne7 13.Bd3 O-O 14.Bxh7+ Kh8) Ne7 13.Nxh7 Rxh7 14.Bxh7 g6 15.Re1 Nbc6 16.Qb3 Nxd4 17.Qxd5 Ne6 18.Qb5+ Kf7 with the idea of eventually capturing White's trapped bishop.