Ancient Dance - The Kahiko-Hula Gambit

...and right on cue I just beat a 1900 in 22 moves with this gambit immediately after posting this. So much for gambiting my "whole position for nothing" :

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2024.10.16"]
[Round "?"]
[White "ManicMovesDrowsyDreams"]
[Black "Sacabam"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "600"]
[WhiteElo "2046"]
[BlackElo "1991"]
[Termination "ManicMovesDrowsyDreams won by resignation"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/122843664491"]

1. c4 e5 2. e3 c6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3 fxe3 5. Nc3 exd2+ 6. Bxd2 Nf6 7. Bd3 Be7 8.
O-O O-O 9. Qc2 h6 10. Rae1 d5 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Qc1 g5 13. Bxg5 hxg5 14. Qxg5+
Kh8 15. Qh6+ Kg8 16. Ng5 Re8 17. Rxf6 Bc5+ 18. Kf1 Rxe1+ 19. Kxe1 Qe7+ 20. Kf1
Qxf6+ 21. Qxf6 Be6 22. Bh7+ Kf8 1-0

...and right on cue I just beat a 1900 in 22 moves with this gambit immediately after posting this. So much for gambiting my "whole position for nothing" :

[Event "Live Chess"]
[Site "Chess.com"]
[Date "2024.10.16"]
[Round "?"]
[White "ManicMovesDrowsyDreams"]
[Black "Sacabam"]
[Result "1-0"]
[TimeControl "600"]
[WhiteElo "2046"]
[BlackElo "1991"]
[Termination "ManicMovesDrowsyDreams won by resignation"]
[Link "https://www.chess.com/game/live/122843664491"]

1. c4 e5 2. e3 c6 3. f4 exf4 4. Nf3 fxe3 5. Nc3 exd2+ 6. Bxd2 Nf6 7. Bd3 Be7 8.
O-O O-O 9. Qc2 h6 10. Rae1 d5 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Qc1 g5 13. Bxg5 hxg5 14. Qxg5+
Kh8 15. Qh6+ Kg8 16. Ng5 Re8 17. Rxf6 Bc5+ 18. Kf1 Rxe1+ 19. Kxe1 Qe7+ 20. Kf1
Qxf6+ 21. Qxf6 Be6 22. Bh7+ Kf8 1-0

Some folks sort of miss the point of gambits. This one is a pretty normal gambit, you're down on the evaluation about -1 if your opponent plays perfectly in the opening, so definitely not a "completely lost position". If you look at most games any of you have won you'll find that you were down -1 or worse at some point in the game. We're all imperfect humans, even up to the grandmaster level, and as long as there is counterplay then a pawn or two advantage is never a guaranteed win. And this Hula gambit provides tons of counterplay right out the gate. Just look how many games Hawaiian State Champ Clyde won against strong players with it. As a decent 1800-ish player I've already won a few games with it without even studying any lines yet. TLDR: If you don't like gambits don't play them, but don't fool yourself into believing gambits don't work, they work often even against great players, and they are fun and creative.

Lol now explain all the other games where great players lost to this gambit. Clyde beat 2500-2600 players and this patzer dude over here saying it's "easily thwarted".

Update: patzer also declining challenges, refuses to play against it himself. Too funny. Always some big talker spouting nonsense popping up in any chess thread.