The Blumenfeld Gambit Is an Exciting Gambit

Chess players who enjoy playing the Benoni Defense or Benko Gambit will enjoy playing the Blumenfeld Gambit. Use the Blumfeld Gambit to get exciting games when White plays 2.Nf3. When you wish to avoid soaking up the pressure you can go on the offensive with the Blumenfeld Gambit. There are two main options for White […]

Chigorin Defense: Active Play in the Queen’s Gambit Declined

The Chigorin Defense is counter-attacking. Learn how to make the most of your knights by playing the Chigorin Defense. Apply pressure against White’s center and gain easy development of your pieces. White does best to accept modest gains and resist the urge to over-extend. Ideas Behind the Chigorin Defense The Chigorin Defense in the Queen’s […]

Lucchini Gambit: A Little Known Chess Opening

Learn a lot about attack and defense in chess with the unheralded Lucchini Gambit. For those players who relish exciting chess and are not afraid to sacrifice material, the Lucchini Gambit is tailor-made for you. Learn about a position Stockfish assesses as 0.00 even though Black is an entire rook down. Deepen your understanding of […]

Portuguese Gambit: Striking Out in the Scandinavian Defense

Avoid the well-worn paths of the mainline Scandinavian Defense with the exciting Portuguese Gambit. Since active piece play and a lead in development work well in any chess opening, why not develop your bishop with tempo? The attack on the queen can get met in three ways – 4.f3, 4.Nf3, and 4.Bb5+. This dynamic opening […]

Lolli Attack: Giving the Italian Game a Boost

The Lolli Attack adds a little more heat to the Fried Liver Attack. The Lolli Attack poses many defensive challenges to Black. Easy to play with very little theory, the Lolli Attack is an ideal weapon for players who enjoy attacking, tactical games. The three main defensive tries for Black are 6…exd4, 6…Be7, and 6…Bb4+. […]

Cochrane Gambit: Adding Spice to the Petroff

The Cochrane Gambit is a sacrifice in the Petroff Defense. White has three main options in the Cochrane Gambit – 5.d4, 5.Nc3, and 5.Bc4+ Back must respect the Cochrane Gambit and play carefully. Ultimately though, the Cochrane Gambit is theoretically unsound. Understanding the Ideas Behind the Cochrane Gambit The Cochrane Gambit is named after John […]

Rousseau Gambit: Where Italian Game and King’s Gambit Meet

The Rousseau gambit is Black’s attempt to lure his opponent into unfamiliar territory within the Italian Game. White does best not to play into Black’s hands by accepting the gambit. Either 4.d3 or 4.d4 will give White the better winning chances. Careful play by White will ensure his opening advantage remains well into the middlegame. […]

Max Lange Attack: Maximize Your Attacking Options

A favorite of Morphy in the 19th century and Frank Marshall in the 20th century, the Max Lange Attack is an excellent opening choice. Get rapid development, early king safety, and make it challenging for your opponents to defend with the Max Lange Attack. This chess opening is suitable for players of all levels and […]

The Muzio Gambit Favors the Bold

The Muzio Gambit is a chess opening that every attacking, tactical player dreams about. There are few openings where you can sacrifice a minor piece on move five, but the Muzio Gambit allows you to do just that. White must not fear entering the Double Muzio Gambit with Bxf7+ Black can delay the capture on […]

Queen’s Gambit Accepted: A Powerful Chess Opening

The Queen’s Gambit Accepted is a classical opening with a long history that is still going strong today. Suitable for players of all levels. The principal battleground of the Queen’s Gambit Accepted is the Classical Variation with 3.Nf3. The Two Knights Variation with 4.Nc3 is arguably White’s most aggressive attempt to refute the Queen’s Gambit […]

Colle System: A Simple, Strong Opening Choice

The Colle System is an excellent opening for beginners and stronger players alike. The Colle System is very light in opening theory, which frees up your training time to work on other areas of your game. This chess opening ensures you can adopt a relaxed approach to the start of the game because you won’t […]

Stonewall Attack: A Sure and Steady Opening

For those who want to keep opening theory to the minimum, you are unlikely to find a better chess opening than the Stonewall Attack. This chess opening is a system-based opening where the white pieces generally go to the same squares no matter what Black plays. White usually places pawns on c3, d4, e3, and […]