Exeter Chess Club: The Italian Game for beginners

  The Giuoco Piano and Evans' Gambit

Giuoco Piano   Evans' Gambit
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An Exeter Junior Chess Club booklet

  Edition 3.18, April, 96

  Bibliography:

 

  Kasparov/Keene, Batsford Chess Openings

  Levy/Keene, An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Club Player

  Walker, Chess Openings for Juniors

Various magazines and other books

 

Introduction

This is an updated and expanded version of a booklet first written in 1994. The major change is the conversion of the `example games' section to a much larger `ideas and traps' section.

The trouble with the Giuoco Piano (is the Giuoco Pianissimo)

The name Giuoco Piano means 'quiet game', but it is not really quiet. When it got its name, people were still playing the bloodthirsty variations of the King's Gambit like the Muzio Gambit (1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3). Compared to that, I suppose the Giuoco Piano is quiet! But there is a variation to be avoided, which is the Giuoco Pianissimo. That means 'very quiet game'.

  It looks like this:

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3 d6

 

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Junior players can usually get to this point safely but often don't really enjoy the game that results. The position is blocked, the sides are equal and it's hard to get things going. It can take a long time to beat worse players because things are so solid. Also, it may be that almost every game you play ends up something like this, and perhaps you would like some variety.

  Why does this go wrong? Well, you should know that Plan A in the opening (for White and Black) is to play e4 and d4. If you both play sensibly 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 White cannot play d4, so you both continue sensibly 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. d3 d6. Which is where we came in. If you really want to play like this, see the last section, but I don't think it's a good way to play.

  Knowing this can happen, you need to know the two great ways to avoid it, which lead to open exciting games:

 

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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4.c3

  This is the main line of the Giuoco Piano. The idea is to play c3, d4 and only after ...exd4,cxd4 do you play Nc3. You then have your old-fashioned centre and good prospects of a quick attack down the centre or on the K-side. I often call this Plan A.

  Black can use the temporary weakness of e4 to play 4...Nf6 when it is difficult to stop Black upsetting your plan a little.

 

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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4.b4!?

  This is the Evans' Gambit, the "gift of the gods to a languishing chess world". After 4...Bxb4, 5. c3 Bc5 6. d4 you have gained a move on Plan A, although you are a Pawn down. The Evans' is more dangerous than the Giuoco Piano - for both sides!

  Enterprising chess players still occasionally trot this one out at master level: Bobby Fischer and John Nunn have played it with success.

  So, let's have a look at some ideas in these more exciting lines. I'll show you

  1. first, the basic ideas

  2. secondly, some important traps

  3. lastly, some variations

  You should read and play over the examples with a board, and do them in the order above: (1) ideas, (2) traps, and only then (3) variations. This is how to study any opening.

Basic ideas in the Italian Game

I've described some of them above.

  bring your Bishop onto the a2-g8 diagonal, eyeing up the tender f7 point

  play c2-c3 and d2-d4 to take over the centre

develop your other pieces rapidly, bring your King's Rook to e1. If you have a lead in development, break open lines to get at the Black position

  keep the opponent's pieces from settling with central pawn stabs. Usually we say, don't make time-wasting pawn moves, like h2-h3. But if you play e4-e5 attacking a Knight on f6, the Knight has to move, and so you haven't given Black a chance to catch up in development, and you may have dislodged an important defender. It's odd that, because Pawns are worth the least, nothing can resist their attacks!

  try and catch the opponent's King in the middle, or, if it escapes by castling, attack on the King's-side.. Usually, only the Evans' Gambit and Moller Attack in the Giuoco Piano are fast enough to catch the King in the middle.

  if your attack doesn't come about, fast development and siezing the central files may give you an advantage in the endgame

  Because the basic layout is similar for both sides, some of these ideas also apply to playing Black: in addition Black should strive for:

  rapid development

castle into safety

  counter with ...d5

  play for counterattack on the King's-side or an endgame advantage First, I'll show you an example game which includes the ideas I have listed above.

All the basic ideas: White,R - Al Marif,S [C51 Evans' Gambit] (London LB), 1990

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. O-O!? d6 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4

 

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Central advantage: the Plan A pawn centre with good development.

8...Bb6 9. Re1

  The Rook comes to e1, gving the King a Hard Stare.

9...Bg4

 

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White's next points both Bishops at the King's-side.

10. Bb2 Qf6 11. e5 dxe5 12. dxe5

 

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Raiding by centre pawns. The Pawn wins time by the attack on the Queen, and then breaks open lines by a further step forward.

12... Qf4 13. e6 Bxf3

  Black hopes to gain time by taking a piece with an attack on the Queen.

 

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14. exf7+

  Not a bit of it! - Check stops everything. In fact White never moves the Queen or takes the Bishop!

 

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Attack on f7 along the "Italian Diagonal"

14... Kf8 15. fxg8=Q+ Rxg8 16. Ba3+ Ne7 17. Bxe7+

 

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The King caught in the middle. Black resigns... 1-0

  An exciting game! Let's have a look at each of these ideas again in actual play, and how to play when you are Black.

Ideas mainly for White

Develop rapidly and take over the centre

You should know this idea already. Get your pieces out and fighting - if they are on the back rank you might as well not have them! And of course, they are most effective in the centre.

  The way to take over the centre is with your e- and d-pawns. These pawns can make little steps down the middle towards the Black King, and on the way stamp on the toes of the Black pieces to make them jump out of the way!

The raid with central pawns: Boleslavsky - Scitov [C54 Giuoco Piano] (Moscow) 1933

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb6

 

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This move gives White too much of a free hand. The "Plan A" pawn centre just rolls over the Black position.

7. e5 Stamp!

7...Ng4 8. h3 Stamp!

8...Nh6 9. d5 Stamp!

9...Ne7 10. d6 Stamp!

10...Ng6

  The Pawns have marched forward, causing the Black pieces to scatter. Time to develop a piece...

11. Bg5 f6

 

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12. exf6 gxf6

  White can win a piece, but:

13. Qe2+ Kf8 14. Bxh6# 1-0

 

  Isn't that better than the Giuoco Pianissimo?

The raid with central pawns: Morphy,Paul - Laroche,H [Evans' Gambit, C52] Paris, 1859

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 Nf6

 

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Now a little Pawn stab.

7. dxe5 Ng4 8. Bg5 f6 9. exf6 Nxf6 10. e5

 

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Another awklard Pawn raid.

10... h6 11. exf6 hxg5 12. fxg7 Qe7+ 13. Qe2 1-0

 

The raid with central pawns: Morphy,Paul(bl_sim) - Cunningham [Giuoco Piano, C54] London, 1859

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 Qe7 7. O-O Ng8 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. d5

 

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This we would call a central pawn roller.

9... Qc5 10. Na3 Nd4 11. Be3 Nxf3+ 12. Qxf3 Qf8 13. Bxb6 axb6 14. Nb5 Kd8 15. Rac1

 

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Black is getting squashed by those Pawns.

15... d6 16. exd6 cxd6 17. Qe3 Ra6 18. Nc7 Qe7

 

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Black wants to exchange Queens.

19. Ne6+! fxe6 20. Bxa6 Bd7 21. Bb5 Ke8 22. dxe6 Nf6 23. Rc8+ 1-0

Central advantage: Bastian,Herbert - Eng,Holger (10) [Giuoco Piano, C54] Bad Neuenahr ch-DE, 1984

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Qb3 Nce7 11. O-O O-O 12. Rfe1

 

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This is the Main line position. Most of the Pawns have disappeared, but Black must be careful not to let the White pieces dominate the central squares and the e-file.

12... Nb6 13. Bd3 Bf5 14. Rxe7 Bxd3 15. Rae1 Bg6 16. Nh4 Nc8

 

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White has far more active pieces and control of the e-file. This is an easy game to understand, and, hopefully, imitate.

17. Nxg6 hxg6 18. R7e5 Qxd4 19. Nf3 Qd7 20. Ng5 Nd6

 

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Black is starting to get sorted out but White's next move tempts the f-pawn to move...

21. Qb4 f6 22. Re7 Qb5 23. Rxg7+ Kxg7 24. Re7+ Rf7 25. Rxf7+ Nxf7 26. Ne6+ 1-0

Catch the Black King in the middle

As I said, this is mostly an idea for the Evans' Gambit. White's pieces charge out before Black can play ...Nf6 and ...O-O, and before the defence can get organised.

The King caught in the middle (and Central advantage): Morphy - Hampton, H [Evans' Gambit, C52] (London) 1858

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. O-O d6 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3

 

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This simple developing move is best, but not much played before Morphy. Instead they used to rush with 9. d5 or hesitate with 9. h3.

9... Nf6 10. e5 dxe5 11. Ba3

  Stops the Black King castling.

11...Bg4 12. Qb3 Bh5 13. dxe5 Ng4 14. Rad1 Qc8

 

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White has a model position, while Black's pieces are disorganised and the King vulnerable.

15. e6 f6 16. Qb5 Bg6 17. Bd5 1-0

 

King caught in the middle: Fischer - Fine RH [Evans' Gambit, C52] (New York) 1963

This game was played as a 'friendly' game at Fine's house.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O dxc3

  "A little too greedy", said Modern Chess Openings, and Fischer agreed.

8. Qb3 Qe7 9. Nxc3

 

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White has a massive lead in development. Now 9...Qb4 is the most awklard. Fischer's reply does not lose time because Black must respond to the attack on the Queen, and, after the exchange, the Knight.

9... Nf6 10. Nd5 Nxd5 11. exd5 Ne5 12. Nxe5 Qxe5 13. Bb2 Qg5

 

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Fischer now finds a nice deflecting move.

14. h4 Qxh4 15. Bxg7 Rg8 16. Rfe1+ Kd8 17. Qg3

 

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1-0

  Another, conclusive deflection. The Black Queen cannot defend the f6 square, so if 17...Qg3 18. Bf6 mate.


King caught in the middle: Anderssen,Adolf - Dufresne,J [Evans' Gambit, C52] Berlin 'Evergreen', 1852

This is a very famous game, published in newspapers all over the world at the time.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O d3 8. Qb3 Qf6 9. e5 Qg6 10. Re1 Nge7 11. Ba3 b5 12. Qxb5 Rb8 13. Qa4 Bb6 14. Nbd2 Bb7 15. Ne4 Qf5 16. Bxd3 Qh5 17. Nf6+ gxf6 18. exf6 Rg8

 

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In playing his next move, Anderssen must have seen the mate at the end. Superb!

19. Rad1 Qxf3 20. Rxe7+ Nxe7 21. Qxd7+ Kxd7 22. Bf5+ Ke8 23. Bd7+ Kf8 24. Bxe7# 1-0

King caught in the middle: Romero Holmes,Alfonse - Estremera Panos,Serg [Giuoco Piano, C54] Leon, 1989

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. b4

 

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An unusual line.

6... Bb6 7. e5 d5 8. exf6 dxc4 9. b5 Na5

 

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White has yet to show anything for his efforts.

10. Qe2+ Be6 11. fxg7 Rg8 12. Nxd4 Bxd4 13. cxd4 Qxd4 14. Bb2

 

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This move hangs on to the g-pawn, without which Black would be OK. It's still all very muddly!

14... Qd3 15. Bf6 Qg6 16. Qf3 Rxg7 17. Nd2

 

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Black jumps at a loose Pawn...

17... Qxg2 18. Qa3 1-0

The King's-side attack.

Of course, if Black is not greedy you may see the Black King flee to the King's-side. But all the things that make the attack on the uncastled King work - better development, central control and open lines - also make a King's-side attack work!


King's-side attack: Morphy,Paul - Amateur [Giuoco Piano, C51] London, 1858

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. d4 exd4 7. cxd4 Bb6 8. Bg5 Nge7 9. Nc3 O-O 10. d5 Na5

 

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Black has castled, but White is still out get the King.

11. d6 cxd6 12. Nd5 Nac6 13. Nxe7+ Nxe7 14. Qxd6 Re8 15. Rc1 Ba5+

 

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White's next move is an important one: he will have to win the game without his King's Rook!

16. Kf1 Kf8 17. Qf4 d5 18. Bb5 Bd7 19. Ne5

 

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A well-judged sacrifice.

19... Bxb5+ 20. Kg1 f5 21. exf5 Qb6 22. f6 Ng8 23. f7 Rec8 24. fxg8=Q+ Kxg8 25. Qf7+

 

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White has got his attack going nicely now.

25... Kh8 26. Rxc8+ Rxc8 27. Qxd5 h6 28. Nf7+ Kh7 29. Qf5+ Qg6 30. Qxc8 Qb1+ 31. Qc1 Qf5 32. Be3 Qxf7 33. Qb1+ 1-0


Littlewood - Paish (Blindfold)1993

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Qb3! Nce7 11. O-O O-O

12. Rfe1 c6 13. a4

  Fritz knows about several alternatives here: h6, Qb6,Qb7, Rb8, b6 and so on. Littlewood's opponent found a new one, but the decentralising ...Qa5 does little towards getting Black's position sorted.

13... Qa5 14. Ne4 Rd8 15. Ne5 Nf5 16. Qd3 Be6 17. Ng5 g6 18. Qh3 Nd6 19. Qxh7+

 

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The entry of the Queen decides.

19... Kf8 20. Nxe6+ fxe6 21. Bxd5 and Nxg6+ 1-0

  This was one of eight games played blindfold by Paul - that is, he played by calling out moves to eight opponents, each of whom had a board!

King's-side attack: Euwe,Max - O'Hanlon,John [Giuoco Piano, C54] Hastings, 1919

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5 O-O

 

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White now plays a break-up sacrifice.

14. Nxh7! Kxh7 15. Rh4+ Kg8 16. Qh5 f5 17. Re1 Ng6 18. Rh3 f4 19. Re6 Rf6

 

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Black has no time to organise a defence of all of his weaknesses.

20. Qh7+ Kf8 21. Qh8+ Nxh8 22. Rxh8+ Kf7 23. Rxd8 c6 24. Ree8 Bd7 25. dxc6+ Be6 26. Bxe6+ Rxe6 27. Rxa8 Rxe8 28. Rxe8 Kxe8 29. cxb7 1-0

The Fried Liver raid: Morphy,Paul(bl_sim) - Forde,A [Evans' Gambit, C52] New Orleans, 1858

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O Nge7 7. Ng5 d5 8. exd5 Nxd5

 

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You may know the Fried Liver Attack - here is a version of it in the Evans' Gambit.

9. Nxf7 Kxf7 10. Qf3+ Ke6 11. Ba3 Bb6 12. Re1 Na5

 

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How can White get at the King?

13. Rxe5+! Kxe5 14. d4+ Ke6 15. g4 g6 16. Qe4+ Kf7 17. Bxd5+ Kg7 18. Be7 Re8 19. Qe5+ Kh6 20. g5+ Kh5 21. Bf3+ Bg4 22. Qg3 Qd7 23. Qh3# 1-0

  This too was one of a number of games played by Morphy without sight of the board.

The Queen's-side attack.

Black's Queen's-side may be late coming out, and may be a target for a direct attack by e.g. Qd1-b3xb7. But if the Black King cannot feel entirely safe on the King's-side, and not at all in the centre, perhaps your opponent will castle Queen's-side? This is usually easier to attack than the King's-side, because you won't mind moving your Queen's-side Pawns forward!


Move to the Queen's-side: Szecsi - Szarka [Giuoco Piano, C54] cr, 1987

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Bf6 10. Re1 Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5 h6 14. Qe2 hxg5 15. Re1 Be6 16. dxe6 f6 17. Re3 c6 18. Rh3 Rxh3 19. gxh3 g6 20. b4

 

t+-Dj+-+
Xx+-S-+-
-+xXpXx+
+-+-+-X-
-Pb+-+-+
+-+-+-+p
p+-+qP-P
+-+-R-K-
This move is quite cute: White realises Black will castle Queen's-side, and so arranges a welcome for the Black King...

20... Qb6 21. Qb2 O-O-O

  Told you!

22. b5 Rf8 23. a4 Qa5 24. Rc1 Qxa4 25. bxc6 b6 26. Bb5 Qe4 27. c7 Kb7 28. Qa3 a5 29. Qxd6

 

-+-+-T-+
+jP-S-+-
-X-QpXx+
Xb+-+-X-
-+-+d+-+
+-+-+-+p
-+-+-P-P
+-R-+-K-
Black is cut to shreds. It's an interesting point that this was played in recent years by post, so Black had plenty of time to work out the best opening variation and the best defence to the attack!

1-0

Ideas for Black

Of course, you need to know how to play the Black side of the Italian Game.

Hit back with ...d5

This is the most important idea. Black's problems in the games we have looked at stem from (a) poor development, (b) poor control over the centre.

  The ...d5 break is crucial, releasing the Bc8 and getting a share of the centre (or at least breaking up White's pawns). This goes some way to solving both problems. If you can play ...d5 as Black without immediate disaster you usually get an even game at least.

Black hits back with ...d5: Marache,N - Morphy,Paul [Evans' Gambit, C52] New York, 1857

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. e5

 

t+lDj+sT
XxXx+xXx
-+s+-+-+
L-+-P-+-
-+bX-+-+
+-P-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
RnBqK-+r
White swings a punch into the air. Black responds with one on the chin.

7... d5 8. exd6 Qxd6 9. O-O Nge7 10. Ng5 O-O 11. Bd3

 

t+l+-Tj+
XxX-SxXx
-+sD-+-+
L-+-+-N-
-+-X-+-+
+-Pb+-+-
p+-+-PpP
RnBq+rK-
White has no reason to expect these attacking gestures to succeed. Black sensibly develops, connecting the Rooks, and soon moves over to the attack.

11... Bf5 12. Bxf5 Nxf5 13. Ba3 Qg6 14. Bxf8 Qxg5 15. Ba3 dxc3 16. Bc1 Qg6 17. Bf4 Rd8 18. Qc2 Ncd4 19. Qe4

 

-+-T-+j+
XxX-+xXx
-+-+-+d+
L-+-+s+-
-+-SqB-+
+-X-+-+-
p+-+-PpP
Rn+-+rK-
19... Ng3! 0-1

A neat finish: Black attacks the White Queen (twice) and threatens mate by ...Nde2#.

Black hits back with ...d5: Treiber,Timo - Kurz,Ralf (07) [Giuoco Piano, C54] Baden Baden, 1990

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. O-O Bxc3 9. d5 Bf6 10. dxc6 bxc6 11. Re1

 

t+lDj+-T
X-Xx+xXx
-+x+-L-+
+-+-+-+-
-+b+s+-+
+-+-+n+-
pP-+-PpP
R-BqR-K-
Black whips the King out of the way of the Rook...

11... O-O 12. Rxe4

 

t+lD-Tj+
X-Xx+xXx
-+x+-L-+
+-+-+-+-
-+b+r+-+
+-+-+n+-
pP-+-PpP
R-Bq+-K-
12... d5

  ...And the ...d5 blow recovers the piece.

13. Rf4 dxc4 14. Qa4 c3 15. bxc3 Bxc3 16. Rb1 Qd3

 

t+l+-Tj+
X-X-+xXx
-+x+-+-+
+-+-+-+-
q+-+-R-+
+-Ld+n+-
p+-+-PpP
+rB-+-K-
White is getting into a right mess.

17. Rbb4

[17. Qb3 Rb8 18. Rd4 Rxb3 19. Rxd3 Rxb1]

17... Ba6 18. Rbc4 Bxc4 19. Rxc4 Rab8 0-1

Catch the White King in the middle

If you are developing as fast as you can, and White isn't, you may find that you are ahead in development. In this case you have every right to attack the White King, and if this is still in the middle, so much the better!

Black catches the King in the middle: Noa,Josef - Kopylov [Evans' Gambit, C52] Leningrad, 1937

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 d6 7. Bg5 Nf6 8. Qa4 exd4 9. Nxd4 Bb6 10. Bb5 O-O 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bxc6

 

t+lD-Tj+
X-X-+xXx
-LbX-S-+
+-+-+-B-
q+-+p+-+
+-P-+-+-
p+-+-PpP
Rn+-K-+r
White has tried to cash in straight away before completing development.

12... Bxf2+ 13. Ke2

[13. Kxf2 Ng4+ 14. Kf1 Qxg5 15. Bxa8 Qc1+ 16. Ke2 Qxh1]

13... Rb8 14. Rf1 Rb2+ 15. Nd2

 

-+lD-Tj+
X-X-+xXx
-+bX-S-+
+-+-+-B-
q+-+p+-+
+-P-+-+-
pT-NkLpP
R-+-+r+-
Black now finds a neat move to exploit White's loose position.

15... Nxe4! 16. Qxe4 Qxg5 17. Kxf2 Bf5 18. Qf3 Bg4 19. Qe4 d5 0-1

Counterattack on the White King's-side

Similarly, if you are ahead in development or have some other advantage, you can (and should!) think about a King's-side attack.

Black's King's-side counterattack: Mongredien,A - Morphy,Paul (07) [Evans' Gambit, C52] Paris m, 1859

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O Nf6 7. d4 O-O

 

t+lD-Tj+
XxXx+xXx
-+s+-S-+
L-+-X-+-
-+bPp+-+
+-P-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
RnBq+rK-
White tries a pawn stab, but things are pretty solid. No quick raid will be possible, which is bad news for the Gambit player.

8. d5 Ne7 9. Qd3 d6 10. h3 Ng6 11. Nh2 Nh5 12. Bb3 Ngf4 13. Bxf4 Nxf4 14. Qf3 f5

 

t+lD-Tj+
XxX-+-Xx
-+-X-+-+
L-+pXx+-
-+-+pS-+
+bP