Bird: From or King's Gambit

Mezmer · 2011-05-10T16:13:04-07:00

Hello! As white, I've been playing Bird's opening quite a bit and having a good bit of luck with it. One question I have is which way to go when black replies with 1... e5 (From's Gambit). I am wondering if I should play through it or transpose to the King's Gambit. I haven'

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bresando

Mar 31, 2012

#21

Objectively 2.fxe5 is stronger than 2.e4 (it's not clear that black equalizes in the from, but he certanly does in the KG), and requires less work (there are maybe 20 decent and unrelated defences to the KG).

Anthony, you're likely to meet 1...e5 very often in rapid games. It's a popular response, likely played in the hope you will fall for the classical Qh4+ trick (such as 1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nc3?? Qh4+ 5.g3 Qxg3+ 6.hxg3 Bxg3#).

beardogjones

Mar 31, 2012

#22

Young man, take on e5!