Tell me how you refute the Latvian Gambit

Tell me your way of refuting it, and I'll show you how I handle your variation, how i can survive with black with lines you did not expect it

I just stopped playing e4😁.

Afaik 3. Nxe5 Qf6 4. Nc4

The Leonhardt Variation: In theory, there are two good lines for White. We will take a brief look at them without going too deep

first, the less common variation, and then the most popular for White

A Latvian Chess Master told me the secret to winning with the Latvian.

Apparently, The way to win is by playing the Delayed Latvian.

That is what the Master told me.

I don’t think the line is called the Delayed Latvian, but he said it was so I don’t know.

What do you think?

Is the Delayed Latvian better vs. Regular Latvian?

The Schliemann in the Ruy Lopez has a good reputation, although I have personally never liked it.

There is a harmless line in the Latvian that I call the "solid line" with d3.

It is an improved version of the Schliemann for Black because the bishop has not moved outside the pawn chain via b5

3.Nc3, because I don't care memorizing stuff on a crap opening which I will meet once in a blue moon. It is good enough for a large advantage.

Theoretically, the refutation is 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.d4 d6 5.Nc4 fxe4 6.Nc3 Qg6 7.Ne3! plus Be2, but I see no good reason to remember all that.

I see that you have quite a few prejudices about the opening.

That variation you mentioned is by no means refuted in practice.

I'm going to show you a very creative idea that was played in an official classical game between a 2400 and a 2200 FIDE rated player

an idea I wasn’t aware of before, and which seems to be the best way to face the critical line with Be2 that you mentioned.

Regarding 3. Nc3, known as the Mlotkowski Variation, tell me which line you’d like to analyze or which one you believe refutes the Latvian Gambit.

I'll tell you that, personally, 3. Nc3 is the move that bothers me the most, the one I respect the most. In fact, against the mainline 3. Nxe5, I have a 78% win rate with Black at the 2400–2700 level in blitz and bullet, as shown here.

But that doesn't convince me. Black simply ends up a pawn down.

Maybe the cloud engines concluded that the position is dead draw. But I would never aim for something like that OTB.

OTB is riskier because your opponent is more likely to find the best moves, meaning you might not get real compensation for the sacrificed pawn and could even be forced to trade queens, as in the game you posted.

But you're assuming that White will always find the best moves in rapid games.

In rapid games, most players won’t find the best moves, which is why this line is worth playing.

In the game you posted, White played very precisely and, thanks to that, managed to reach a superior endgame

though Black could still fight for a draw.

Ideally, in the Latvian Gambit, you don’t want to end up in a position where you have no winning chances with Black. But sometimes, there's no choice but to fight for a draw if White finds the best moves in the opening.

As I said, in blitz, almost no one finds the best moves, even if they've studied them at home.

Because almost no one plays the Latvian, when players face it, they most likely won’t remember the exact line.

Best Ways to Refute the Latvian Gambit:
1. The Critical Main Line: 3. Nxe5! (Best Move)
White immediately grabs the free pawn, taking advantage of Black’s weak second move.

3... Qf6 (trying to attack the knight and hold the f5 pawn)

4. d4 d6 5. Nc4 fxe4 6. Nc3 → White develops quickly with a lead in development.

4. d4 d6 5. Nc4 fxe4 6. Nc3 Qg6 7. Be2! → White has a strong position and an extra pawn.

3... d6 (trying to kick the knight)

4. Qh5+! g6 5. Nxg6 Nf6 6. Qh4 Rg8 7. Nxf8 Rg4 8. Qh6 Rxe4+ 9. Be2 → White is completely winning.

2. The Quiet But Strong 3. d4!
Instead of grabbing the pawn immediately, White builds a strong center.

3... fxe4 4. Nxe5 Nf6 5. Be2 d6 6. Ng4 → White is comfortably ahead in development.

3. The Safe and Solid 3. exf5
Accepting the gambit but in a safer way.

3... e4 4. Nd4 Qf6 5. c3! → White stops Black’s attack and gains a huge advantage.

Just tell me one line, everything you wrote is very confusing

The best ways to refute the Latvian Gambit are 3. Nxe5! (best, gaining a lead in development), 3. d4 (building a strong center), and 3. exf5 (safely accepting the gambit), all giving White a clear advantage.

but give a line xD

more moves please , not only three

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nxe5 Qf6 4. d4 d6 5. Nc4 fxe4 6. Nc3 Qg6 7. f3 exf3 8. Qxf3 Nc6 9. Bd3 Qg4 10. O-O Qxf3 11. Rxf3 Nxd4 12. Re3+ Be7 13. Nd5 Kd8 14. Nxe7 Nxe7 15. Re1 h6 16. Be3 Ndf5 17. Bf2 h5 18. Ne3 Rf8 19. Nxf5 Bxf5 20. Bh4 Rf7 21. Bxf5 Rxf5 22. Rxe7 g5 23. Rae1 gxh4 24. Re8+ Kd7 25. Rxa8

Very well. That line is recommended in many manuals, specifically the 7 . f3! line within the Main Line of the Latvian Gambit

I already consider the 7 . . . exf3 line to be bad for Black because it inevitably leads to an exchange of queens, causing Black's position to lose all its dynamism. The key in the latvian is to keep dynamism in the position or you are lost

There are two serious alternatives on move 7: one is 7 .. . Nc6!?, which I often play in bullet, and the other is 7 .. . Be7!, which I consider the best option and have successfully played in classical time control games.

I’m going to show some of my analysis and the main lines of how White typically plays in that position.

I have seemed to have lost the cause in what you want. Do you need my help? are you just showing how you play my variation? What is the point of this post?

I'm encouraging you to show which line you would use to refute the Latvian Gambit.

You've shown me a line recommended in many manuals, like , but in your game, you played 7...exf3?!, which I already consider a mistake for Black since it inevitably forces a queen exchange on g4, as you demonstrated in your game.

That's why I recommend 7...Nc6!? or 7...Be7!? for Black in order to survive.

It seems both of us have wasted each other's time. I thought you were asking for help. You are trying to help me. this is a waste of time.