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Best way to learn to play gambits?

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GhenghisKurajiskas

I want to improve my tactical chess playing ability, while having some fun trying to learn a few gambit openings. Please recommend to me the best way to learn gambit play.

SharkTeam17

when learning new openings you can use the book openings option here or learn them by watching grandmaster games where they were played, for this i like chessgames.com

cornbeefhashvili

Just keep the attack going because once it fizzles you pretty much enter an inferior endgame.

Pulpofeira

Agree. And I think it's a good idea. But make sure you get into proper chess after the experience to take advantage of all you've learned.

PeskyGnat

Maybe give the King's Gambit a try, it's probably the easiest gambit to get onto the board early to get some experience playing a pawn down for some compensation and is quite playable sub 2000

Likewise for Black, maybe give the Latvian 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 or Philidor Counter Gambit 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 f5 a try.  You'll likely get wrecked occasionally, but the positions can get really tactical, good experience.

PeskyGnat

Yes, the Black sides of those gambits are unsound for sure, but probably only for maybe say 1600-1800+ level.  I play 1. e4 exclusively and rarely if ever see any of those two gambits at all, so it's unlikely at that level, White has any prepared idea of dealing with them.

The problem with the Marshall at lower levels is that White will never give you the chance to even play it because well, they likely won't even know more than the first few moves of the Ruy Lopez anyways, maybe I'm wrong, it seems like the Marshall only makes it's appearance at the 1600-1800+ level.

I'm not suggesting a repertoire, just something to get a quick feel for some swashbuckling gambiteering :)

TitanCG

You can watch some games from old players like Morphy, Anderssen, Marshall and others. They played a lot of gambits in their time and although the theory isn't new the games can still be instructive.