Most Violent Black Opening

 It's probably just me but 1...c6 ties me up quickly if I 1.e4

Watch out! Hebrews 13-8 has a pretty good idea for 1.d4 as well! (Hi, bro.)

Um . . . what?

If you want the bar-none most violent/aggressive against e4, yeah, I don't think you're going to find anything more so than the Latvian Gambit.  It's also a bit too unsound, though, IMO.

If you're looking for a slightly-more-sound-but-still-hyperaggressive repertoire, the Traxler/Wilkes-Barre Variation that someone brought up is surprisingly resilient to refutation; I'd suggest pairing that with the Schliemann Defense to the Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5).

http://www.chess.com/echess/analysis.html?id=18216301

I played with this forum in mind. See results.

Since we're on the topic, my two favorite Latvian quotes from Chess.com.

Definetly this opening is not for those with a weak heart and some emotional disorder... please dont play it if u have this conditions. i have seen the eyes of fear of my opponents when i play the 2... f5 move and they dont know what to doe... and yes, it is very fun (if u are a bit sociopath).

- Chess.com Member

I'll admit - I am TOTALLY AFRAID of the Latvian Gambit :( And it feels like being afraid of your little kid brother. You know he's inferior, you know you should beat him up, but he's also dangerous and unpredictable.

- Erik

This is not about beating titled players. I'm not sure why you have such an attitude towards people who might casually play the game, but laughing at me because I've played the Latvian before does not make much sense. The Latvian may not be the most sound opening in the world, but it can beat sub-2000 players as long as they don't know what they're doing (and that goes for any opening really). No opening is useless because we play the person and not the board - every opening has it's place and time. It's just that in tournament and higher-level play, you have to play more solid openings because of your opponent's skill level, so technically you are still playing the person and not the board.

However, since you insist on this notion that the Sicilian is the coolest thing since the Internet, I will admit that it is very solid, sound, and playable. However, I tend to not like the cookie-cutter type games it starts to create when both players know the theory. Invention on the chessboard these days seems hard to come by, sadly... I hate watching mass-produced draws.

Thanks for the helpful advice. I've never used the Shliemann, but I've always heard good things. I thought the Traxler took too much opponent cooperation, but I'm going to take another look at it since this is the second time it has been mentioned.

I was going to say the Alekhine Defense e4, Nf6, I've only played it once, but it worked wonders

Hey RC Woods.....if it is whites turn to move....Ng5xf7 forking the Queen and Rook and blowing up the king side castling chances...Black's aggression looks to blow up in his face!!

It's just the way it reads....If I am looking for White's cooperation to get my black pieces in this position and White's end up in THAT position and having the move...then I don't want to be going anywhere near that meat grinder of an opening line for Black.

Black can gain some position as white assassinates but wow....that's a heavy price to pay.

http://www.chess.com/article/search.html?keyword=traxler&cat_id=

Excellent articles for all!

EDIT: After reading some of these articles, I still don't really like the Traxler personally. It is DEFINITELY hyper-aggressive. I guess it's just not really my style. I know I've been giving a lot of personal opinion by the way, but this thread was not meant for you all to help me find a new opening. I'm just trying all of these openings as the thread continues because I like trying out new things. If I like something, I'll add it to my repetoire, though. I hope that is more clear as well...

The Shliemann is basically the Ruy Lopez gone Latvian, I think...

The traxler counter attack is risky but it's alot of fun to play. Here's an example of white getting to greedy.

I'm fond of saying here that one should not confuse "aggressive" with "active" when talking about openings for Black.  Aggressive openings do exist; several have been identified in this thread.  However, they typically push -- or, more often, cross -- the line past where one could definitely call a line "sound".  After all, you're the second player, that's just how it is.

Now, if you're looking for *active* openings as Black that promise an interesting game with good counterchances, without going completely off the deep end, that's a different list.  Yes, the Sicilian qualifies, but I understand the distaste for playing the same thing everyone else plays.  I might suggest the Two Knights' Defense main line (not Traxler), and Open Variation Ruy Lopez.

good forum

Actually, it is a meat grinder - but for white and not necessarily for black.

Though there have been discussions on the soundness of the Traxler counterattack, the discussion is far from closed. With regard to the move you suggested (Nxf7), that is actually not what masters would play: they would prefer Bxf7+. If you capture with the knight, you are very likely to perish soon after - but it is exactly what most players do.

With regard to Bxf7+ - black basically develops very fast and though the position is difficult and highly tactical, it also appears to be sound in the end.

Hmmm... I think you're right. I'm sorry for the confusion, but while I like playing things like the Latvian for fun, I am looking for solid things outside of the sicilian to create active play.

So yes, I want active openings that are an alternative to the sicilian.

the Latvian gambit and Scandinavian defense are the best

Pretty violent Alapin line

Yes blood is pretty irony.

Duras gambit