It is objectively bad, for that reason it is rarely played, but for those two reasons white players do not know it and that by itself makes it good.
Do you play the latvian gambit?
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Agree! Still want to know who plays it?
Anybody??
It definitely works at your 1000 rating, some IM use it at blitz games and win a lot with it.
Jul 9, 2021
0
#6
I'm a Kings Gambit player, so I've turned it around and played the Latvian as black. Both gambits are pretty fast-paced however, and death comes quickly to the first player to lose tempo. The Latvian is already down tempo and white frequently mounts a strong counter-attack. I rarely won with it so I quit playing. But the tactics are similar if you know how to play the KG and you can win some short games if your opponent doesn't understand the positions.
You are right kingshorseman, they are alike. Tad go watch Miodrag Perunovic, chess butcher, he plays the latvian against titled players and wins a lot. You just need to ace every tactic, and as king said don't lose tempo.
@Tad2721 anything works at your level.
Tad2721 wrote:
0peoplelikethis wrote:
@Tad2721 anything works at your level.
No u r wrong
No, you're wrong, as this gameperfectly illustrates what kind of chess people at around 1000 level tend to play:
https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/12771966777?tab=analysis
This 1300 player played Latvian Gambit against you, and you were already slightly worse after only 5 moves, so there you have it.
Dec 15, 2025
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#10
I just beat someone who played with no clue what they were doing, just knew they were playing this. It's one of those ones were it's normally a good surprise tool but once you get past 1500 or so lots of people are going to destroy the opening.
BlunderThunder67 wrote:
I just beat someone who played with no clue what they were doing, just knew they were playing this. It's one of those ones were it's normally a good surprise tool but once you get past 1500 or so lots of people are going to destroy the opening.
You mean that you had a clue what you were doing?
After 8...Nxg4 9.Bxe7 Bxe7 you had just blundered a piece, and then you left your Queen hanging at g4 for no less than six more moves.
Dec 15, 2025
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#12
no i dont think so i dont even know the latvian gambit i guess ive never played it
Dec 16, 2025
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#13
Im not saying that I personally know how to counter it but at higher levels there are going to be people who do know how to
Dec 16, 2025
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#14
When I said with no clue what they were doing I was pointing out that we both were clueless on how to play it and I won due to the little advantage at the start.
No this is one of the seldom cases where I have to admit I dont play this opening. Although I play almost everything. There was an IM on Youtube that made a very good video about this opening. I think in a Blitzgame if you are really good prepared you can crack almost everybody. Unless the guy is also very good prepared. But as I said even Super-GMs are not perfectly prepared in any opening or any opening line. It seems Bobby Fischer was the only one that had a 40 moves deep opening preparation for every fu. opening and every fu. variation. Todays GMs havent that.
I've watched vids on how to beat the latvian but I've seen it in my games like less than 5 times. And I started wondering if people still play it, or if it is a forgot opening, maybe it is played a lot and I don't know.