King's Gambit, 2 .... Qh4+ (C30)

The first time I've seen this defence in any "long" format of the Game. I have faced it a half-dozen-or-so times in blitz games, where thankfully I found the right moves first time of asking. I build a good game from quieter, more positional play than is usually my style, producing a thematic pawn push which is difficult to meet. I'm just happy that I won a game for once without having to survive the usual blood-drenched tactical melee.

My opponent messaged me after the game, explaining that he had played this variation (with no prior experience) in the hope of avoiding the usual King's Gambit lines.

Comments are appreciated.

hmm, interesting. To be honest with you, I have no idea how to play KG or how to play against it

I'm suprised that 2...Qh4+ is actually a playable line that has found success at GM level.  I play the KGA bishop's gambit (stunned aren't you) and usually get that check from black, but only after black takes the gambit pawn.  I wonder what Keene's ideas here are.  It's certainly as you said: wreck white's king side creating a quick problem that is hard to ignore, but the queen becomes so exposed this way, and as is shown in your game, if black slips up with queen placement he's going to lose buckets of time.

And here's GM McDonald finding himself on fresh turf against 2 .... Qh4+ and a prepared opponent who makes life difficult for him:

Joe Gallagher recalls advising Neil McDonald about this move just before the game:

"Don't worry, Neil, nobody plays that line!"

 

Agreed 2...Qh4+ slows blacks development as well as allowing white space on the K-side. When I see this I usually work to a Q-side castle, if at all. Generally the added space and attack advantage is enough compensation for the irritation of an early +.

Interestingly this line can be very quickly Q-fatal for black in KGD as well.

Nice to see this played a GM level though.

Just to even things up a bit, here's GM Korobov employing 2 .... Qh4+ on his way to winning the Ukranian Championship in 2002:

Wow, I think this was a text-book example of principled opening play vs. well, not so much principled opening play . I must say, black looked like he had no idea. I enjoyed the annotations too. It's a pity you didn't play a few more moves, to show how a huge lead in development results in winning tactical fireworks.

2...Qh4+ is actually the subject of a lengthy FICS lecture that was done by a solid expert I believe.  It is quite playable indeed and most of the 1-0 examples given here are a result of lower rated players seeking to get an opening surprise edge against a higher opponent and accepting lost endgames by playing weakly in the middlegame (pawn structure weaknesses that are not inherently the fault of the opening choice).

Interesting thoughts, however, two out of three of the losing Black players in this thread are 2400ish. I doubt anything an expert (2000) has to say on the matter, has much impact on masters and grandmasters.

Oh! really!?

 No body likes a quitter,