What to do when opponents deviate from your prep…with blunders?
If you are at the level where this constantly happens, and you are unsure how to
do the punishing part, don’t lose heart on opening study. Instead, tweak your opening philosophy and maximize your chances: invite them to err badly in every game.
Community author
peterjohnson has a time-tested and straightforward way to do so: get back to the Romantic Era! He
assembled a “repertoire” based on the King’s Gambit for White according to the Old Masters of Attacking Chess. But you can follow the example in just any Romantic Opening!
You’ll see, the Old Masters evenly regarded in their books, eye-watering blunders, and lines that stood the test of time because they all are instructive for the uninitiated, and
peterjohnson relies on that philosophy. That way, during your opening study, you’ll learn the mistakes that you’ll likely encounter in your games!
A different course…in many levels
But not only the course’s hypothesis is original. Its fun tone, British humor, and elegance in annotations make it a unique ride. The tone is set since the first line of text:
This course is not intended for titled players. I developed it for fellow members of the great unwashed masses--those of us whose best chance of obtaining a title is to marry royalty.
Unearthing the analysis and traps of the great players of the past, you will feel as if the author was next to you. The emotion on his annotation and attention to detail will take you on a travel through chess history and even geography!
Defeating present opponents with Gambits from the Past
As you can expect, the chess inside is sacrificial, with lines often ending as a sight to behold. However, within the wilderness, peterjohnson explains the ideas and plans, so you don’t get lost admiration for the Romantics and understand how to crush your opponents with the King’s Gambit.
You’ll be learning the traps, wild gambits, and secret refutations introduced in these ancient but seminal books:
📚 The Noble Game of Chess by Captain Joseph Bertin (1735)
📚 The Noble Game of Chess by Philip Stamma (1745)
📚 Analyse du jeu des Échecs by François-André Danican Philidor (1777)
📚 The works of Damiano, Ruy-Lopez, and Salvio, on the Game of Chess translated with commentary by Jacob Sarratt (1813)
📚 A Treatise on Chess by William Lewis (1843)
📚 The Chess-Player’s Handbook by Howard Staunton (1847)
📚 Handbuch des Schachspiels (7th edition) edited by Emil Schallopp (1891)
Peterjohnson improves on some lines by expanding the number of possibilities (and mistakes), so your preparation is more in line with modern responses you’ll find in your games. And with the help of Stockfish, he ensures that this time the analysis can’t be refuted.
So if you want to leap to the next step in the ranking ladder, take a shortcut to opening study and winning games:
Get Romantic: Play The King’s Gambit From 18th and 19th Century Manuals
