Englund Gambit Declined Help!

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DefinitelyNotGM

I sometimes play the Englund Gambit in blitz games, but I don't know what to play as black here: (end  of the main line)

I have shown the main variations after acceptance of the gambit.

Hadron

My preference is 2.d5 Bc5 3.e4 [3.Nf3 d6 4.e4 Nf6 5.Bd3 (5.Nc3?? Ng4) 5...0–0 6.0–0=; 3.c4 Qh4 4.e3 d6 5.Nf3 Qe7] 3...Qh4 4.Qe2 Nf6 5.Nd2 [5.Nc3 Bb4 -/+] 5...d6 = ish

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

goommba88

the Qh4 lines are fine although if you are a little careless, your queen is offcenter.

but black is fine in all the declined lines (.30 adv. or less for white in all lines)

if white wants a play it safe line but still retain a little edge he should try !.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6

3.Nf3 Qe7 4. e3 Nxe5(with Nd2 & Nf3 coming)

bolasdefraile

2...f5?! and may be play it like a king's Indian Defence sort off.

TheGreatOogieBoogie

I like 2...f5 since you get the f5 + e5 setup that's great in some Leningrad Dutch lines.  Usually white takes en passant so in practice you'll hardly see the f5 + e5 setup.  It's typical in lines where black plays ...Qe8 and ...Na6-Nc5. 

1.d4,e5? 2.d5?,f5 3.e4,d6 4.Nc3,Nf6 and the game can go either way. 

TitanCG
TheGreatOogieBoogie wrote:

I like 2...f5 since you get the f5 + e5 setup that's great in some Leningrad Dutch lines.  Usually white takes en passant so in practice you'll hardly see the f5 + e5 setup.  It's typical in lines where black plays ...Qe8 and ...Na6-Nc5. 

1.d4,e5? 2.d5?,f5 3.e4,d6 4.Nc3,Nf6 and the game can go either way. 

I'm not so sure about 3...d6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bd3 keeping a piece on e4. Maybe it's ok but it doesn't look right to me.

Dclawyerantitrust

 

Dclawyerantitrust

See above, Good players seem to have all kinds of trouble figuring out what to do when I decline the Englund Gambit, and struggle to capture the e pawn, which creates a great deal of difficulty down the line . . 

Slav2Luv

Yes. Many gambit player just assume you will take the pawn. Now I decline englund and albin and there is often a long pause before a reply.

Dclawyerantitrust

Indeed, here is another example, they just did not know what to do . . 

Dclawyerantitrust

Question

Huh?

Can you explain how White was winning, as the computer says?  Sometimes I just dont get chess.com's computer's thinking . . does it get tired and make mistakes like I do? 

4xel
tomwillcox wrote:

Question

Huh?

Can you explain how White was winning, as the computer says?  Sometimes I just dont get chess.com's computer's thinking . . does it get tired and make mistakes like I do? 

 

2... e4 is a bad move and White punished it well at first, getting a much better position after 5...Qe6.

6.f4 is garbage, 6...exf3 is dubious and 7.gxf3 is double garbage (much better is Nxf3) but I still prefer White. I think white really starts losing his mind and the game at 10.d5 and onward.

 

Computer assumes "perfect" play from both side so it's not always clear how it is winning when he says it is winning.

Here, I would guess 5...Qe6 is one of your mistakes/blunder and that black is totally toasted after 6.d5 followed, depending on where the Q goes, by Qa4+, Bb5+ or Nb5. But even with normal developping moves like Qc2, Ne2 (into Ng3 or Nf4), white should be comfortably ahead, which computer interprets as winning.

Castling is another of your blunders because there was a free bishop to take, but black was already much better at this point anyway.

dpnorman

I think if your opponent plays 2. d5 your first reaction should be to jump for joy. 

Dclawyerantitrust
4xel wrote:
tomwillcox wrote:

Question

Huh?

Can you explain how White was winning, as the computer says?  Sometimes I just dont get chess.com's computer's thinking . . does it get tired and make mistakes like I do? 

 

2... e4 is a bad move and White punished it well at first, getting a much better position after 5...Qe6.

6.f4 is garbage, 6...exf3 is dubious and 7.gxf3 is double garbage (much better is Nxf3) but I still prefer White. I think white really starts losing his mind and the game at 10.d5 and onward.

 

Computer assumes "perfect" play from both side so it's not always clear how it is winning when he says it is winning.

Here, I would guess 5...Qe6 is one of your mistakes/blunder and that black is totally toasted after 6.d5 followed, depending on where the Q goes, by Qa4+, Bb5+ or Nb5. But even with normal developping moves like Qc2, Ne2 (into Ng3 or Nf4), white should be comfortably ahead, which computer interprets as winning.

Castling is another of your blunders because there was a free bishop to take, but black was already much better at this point anyway.

thanks for your input 

ChessieSystem101
DefinitelyNotGM wrote:

I sometimes play the Englund Gambit in blitz games, but I don't know what to play as black here: (end  of the main line)

I have shown the main variations after acceptance of the gambit.

Why not just not play it?

ChessieSystem101
Slav2Luv wrote:

Yes. Many gambit player just assume you will take the pawn. Now I decline englund and albin and there is often a long pause before a reply.

Is it the lion?

JamesColeman

Another psychological masterstroke from Tom.