The Ulysses Gambit - The Saga Continues

Ulysses Gambit – The Saga Continues 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3

Note: This message was previously posted in 2005 at the 65th Square Web site.

Best Regards
DarthMusashi 

In 1986 I had played in the Hawaii State Class Championship. It was the final round for the championship of the master/expert section and my oppoonent was fellow expert Patrick Perry. I surprised him with the Ulysses Gambit (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3) and he did not play the opening correctly and got into trouble and went down to the gambit. His B was trapped within its own pawn structure. During that game he had trouble concentrating & complained about the noise from the fire crackers because the tournament was held in the middle of the Chinese Cultural Center plaza. The fire crackers did not bother me. Two years later Perry went on to become Hawaii State Chess Champion and national master. That game was published in "Rand Springer" that German theoretical chess openings magazine. Rand Springer is no longer in publication.

I had second thoughts about the Ulysses Gambit and decided to playthe Ulysses Gambit again. In some of my recent Ulysses Gambit games I usually get the Omega Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.e4) pawn position with center pawns at c2, c3 & d4 and half open e file with the added bonus of the half open f file. Listed below are 7 sample games, five of which were recently played. I lost one game against a player rated 2100+ and drew a game which I should have lost. I analyzed that game against that 2100+ player and found that I had missed a Bishop sac on h6 which should have given me a strong attack. Analysis by Fritz8 revealed that the final position of that attack should be equal but I believe that I had chances to win that game because of my passed pawns. One game is of theoretical interest because my opponent surprised me with 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4.Ng5 e5 and I sacrificed my N on the f7 square.

But Fritz8 revealed that black did not play the line correctly and should have the advantage after playing Kg7. The e5 move is one of the lines played against the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit. One of my other games was very curious because my opponent had all his minor pieces & Q on the back rank and all of my pieces were activated and developed and ready to proceed with the attack. I have placed those 7 games in a file called ulysses1.pgn in the files section for your viewing pleasure. Some of those games have my notes. That file also includes that Patrick Perry game. Listed below are the games without notes.

Best Regards
Clyde Nakamura

[Event "Hawaii State Class C"][Site "Hawaii State Class C"]
[Date "1986.??.??"][Round "?"][White "Nakamura, Clyde"]
[Black "Perry, Patrick"][Result "1-0"][ECO "B12"]
[PlyCount "117"][EventDate "1986.??.??"][Source "www.chesslib.no"][SourceDate "2003.12.02"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. Ncxe4 Nxe4 9. Nxe4 Nd7 10. c3 Nf6 11. Qe2 b6 12. Bf4 Bb7 13. Rad1 Qd7 14. Bd3 Rfd8 15. Rfe1 Nxe4 16. Bxe4 Bf6 17. Qf3 Rac8 18. h3 Ba6 19. b3 Qe8 20. g4 Be7 21. g5 Bd6 22. Bc1 Qd7 23. c4 Qc7 24. h4 c5 25. d5 exd5 26. Bxd5 b5 27. h5 bxc4 28. bxc4 Bh2+ 29. Kf1 Be5 30. g6 Rxd5 31. Qxd5 Bd4 32. Re2 Bb7 33. Rde1 Rf8 34. gxf7+ Qxf7 35. Qxf7+ Rxf7 36. Re8+ Rf8 37. Rxf8+ Kxf8 38. Be3 Ba6 39. Rc1 Kf7 40. Bxd4 cxd4 41. Ke2 Kf6 42. Kd3 Kg5 43. Rh1 Bb7 44. Rh2 g6 45. hxg6 hxg6 46. Rh7 Bc8 47. Rxa7 Kg4 48. Kxd4 g5 49. Ke3 Be6 50. c5 Bd5 51. a4 Kf5 52. Kd4 Bc6
53. a5 Kf4 54. Rf7+ Kg4 55. Rf6 Bh1 56. c6 Kh3 57. a6 Kg2 58. c7 g4 59. c8=Q 1-0

[Event "Ullyses Gambit"][Site "?"][Date "1993.??.??"]
[Round "?"][White "Nakamura"][Black "Chess Genius 60moves/hr"][Result "1-0"][ECO "B12"][Annotator "Ulysses Gambit"][PlyCount "64"][EventDate "1993.??.??"]
1. d4 c6 2. e4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. O-O Bxc3 8. bxc3 h6 9. Nh3 Nbd7 10. f3 O-O 11. Qe1 exf3 12. Rxf3 c5 13. Qh4 Re8 14. Bxh6 cxd4 15. Rg3 g6 16. cxd4 Qc7 17. Bd3 e5 18. Bxg6 fxg6 19. Rxg6+ Kf7 20. Rg7+ Ke6 21. dxe5 Qb6+ 22. Kh1 Nxe5 23. Nf4+ Kd6 24. Qxf6+ Kc5 25. Qg5 Qd6 26. Qg3 Rd8 27. Qc3+ Kb5 28. Rb1+ Ka6 29. Rg6 b6 30. Rxd6 Rxd6 31. Qa3+ Kb7 32. Qxd6 Rb8 1-0

[Event "Rated game, 5m + 0s"][Site "Main Playing Hall"]
[Date "2005.01.02"][Round "?"][White "Evilone"][Black "Hunt2000"][Result "1-0"][ECO "D02"][WhiteElo "1974"][BlackElo "1828"][Annotator "Ulysses Gambit"][PlyCount "69"][EventDate "2005.01.01"]
1. Nf3 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e4 dxe4 4. Ng5 Bf5 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. f3 exf3 8. Nxf3 Bb4 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 Nbd7 11. Ng5 h6 12. Nxf7 Kxf7 13. Rxf5 Nb6 14. Bb3 Nbd5 15. Rf3 Rf8 16. c4 Nb6 17. Bb2 Kg8 18. Qe2 Qd7 19. Rd1 Rae8 20. Ba3 Rf7 21. h3 a5 22. c3 a4 23. Bc2 Nh7 24. Rxf7 Qxf7 25. Rf1 Nf6 26. Qe3 Nbd7 27. Bd6 e5 28. dxe5 Qxc4 29. Rf4 Nd5 30.
Qe4 Qxe4 31. Rxe4 Nxc3 32. Rc4 Nd5 33. Bg6 Re6 34. Bf5 Rxe5 35. Bxe5 1-0

[Event "Rated game, 5m + 0s"][Site "Main Playing Hall"]
[Date "2005.05.06"][Round "?"][White "Evilone"][Black "aykitu_mipushi"][Result "1-0"][ECO "B12"][WhiteElo "1998"][BlackElo "1929"][Annotator "Ulysses Gambit"][PlyCount "37"][EventDate "2005.01.01"]
1. d4 c6 2. e4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5 e5 5. Nxf7 Kxf7 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Bc4+ Be6 8. Bxe6+ Kxe6 9. Qxe5+ Kf7 10. Qxh8 Bg7 11. Qxh7 Qxd4 12. O-O Nf6 13. Qh4 Nbd7 14. Nc3 Rh8 15. Qg3 Nh5 16. Qe3 Qd6 17. Nxe4 Qe7 18. Ng5+ Kg8 19. Qxe7 1-0

[Event "Rated game, 5m + 0s"][Site "Main Playing Hall"]
[Date "2005.05.08"][Round "?"][White "Evilone"][Black "Centauro61"][Result "0-1"][ECO "B12"][WhiteElo "1984"][BlackElo "2156"][Annotator "Ulysses Gambit"][PlyCount "74"][EventDate "2005.01.01"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. O-O Bxc3 8. bxc3 h6 9. Nh3 O-O 10. f3 exf3 11. Qxf3 Nbd7 12. Bf4 Qe7 13. Rae1 Re8 14. Bd3 Nd5 15. Bd2 b5 16. Qh5 N7f6 17. Qh4 Nh7 18. Qg3 Kh8 19. Rf3 Bb7 20. Qg4 a6 21. Rg3 Rg8 22. Qh5 Ndf6 23. Qh4 Qf8 24. Bf4 Rd8 25. Be5 Rd5 26. Rf1 Rxe5 27. dxe5 Qc5+ 28. Kh1 Qxe5 29. Nf4 c5 30.
Bxh7 Kxh7 31. Nd3 Qd5 32. Qh3 Ne4 33. Rgf3 f5 34. Nf4 Qxa2 35. Qh5 Nf6 36. Qg6+ Kh8 37. Rh3 Ng4 0-1

[Event "Rated game, 5m + 0s"][Site "Main Playing Hall"]
[Date "2005.05.08"][Round "?"][White "Evilone"][Black "BKatz"] [Result "1/2-1/2"][ECO "B12"][WhiteElo "1924"][BlackElo "2004"][Annotator "Ulysses Gambit"][PlyCount "98"][EventDate "2005.01.01"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5 Bf5 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. O-O h6 8. Nxf7 Kxf7 9. f3 e3 10. Bxe3 Bd6 11. g4 Bg6 12. g5 hxg5 13. Bxg5 Bxh2+ 14. Kg2 Bd6 15. Rh1 Nbd7 16. Qe2 Qe7 17. Rae1 Bf5 18. Ne4 Bc7 19. Bh4 Rxh4 20. Ng5+ Kg6 21. Rxh4 Kxg5 22. Qf2 Kg6 23. f4 Ng4 24. Qg3 Ndf6 25. Bd3 Qd6 26. Rxg4+ Nxg4 27. Qxg4+ Kf7 28. Bxf5 exf5 29. Qxf5+ Kg8 30. Re6 Qd5+ 31. Qxd5 cxd5 32. Re7 Bxf4 33. Rxb7 Rb8 34. Rxa7 Rxb2 35. Ra5 Rxc2+ 36. Kf3 Bc7 37. Rxd5 Rxa2 38. Rd7 Bb6 39. d5 Ra7 40. Rd6 Bc5 41. Rc6 Be7 42. d6 Bd8 43. Ke4 Kf7 44. Ke5 Ra5+ 45. Ke4 Ke6 46. Rc8 Kd7 47. Rb8 Ra6 48. Rb7+ Kxd6 49. Rxg7 Ra4+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Rated game, 5m + 0s"][Site "Main Playing Hall"]
[Date "2005.05.08"][Round "?"][White "Evilone"][Black "BKatz"][Result "1-0"][ECO "B12"][WhiteElo "1923"][BlackElo "2005"][Annotator "Ulysses Gambit"][PlyCount "71"][EventDate "2005.01.01"]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ng5 Nf6 5. Bc4 e6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. O-O Bxc3 8. bxc3 h6 9. Nh3 O-O 10. Nf4 Nd5 11. Bd2 Nxf4 12. Bxf4 f5 13. f3 exf3 14. Qxf3 Kh8 15. Rae1 Na6 16. Bxe6 Bxe6 17. Rxe6 Rf6 18. Rfe1 Qf8 19. Qe3 Nc7 20. Re7 Na6 21. Rxb7 c5 22. Be5 Rf7 23. Qxh6+ Kg8 24. Rxf7 Qxf7 25. Qxa6 Re8 26. Qd6 cxd4 27. cxd4 Qxa2 28. Re2 Qf7 29. Kf2 Qh5 30. h3 f4 31. c4 f3 32. gxf3 Qxh3 33. Qd5+ Kh8 34. Ke3 Rf8 35. Rf2 Qf5 36. Rh2+ 1-0

Since I first played the Ulysses Gambit in my tournament
game with Patrick Perry at the Hawaii State Open in 1986,
there have been other players who have taken up the Ulysses
Gambit against the Caro Kann Defense 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5.
This includes David Robert Lonsdale and Bastiaan.

David Robert Lonsdale

Ulysses Gambit Variation 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Ne5
Lonsdale used to have an opening monograph with 20
of his chess games with this line and many diagrams. But
this monograph is no longer being sold on Ebay.

Bastiaan plays the Ulysses Gambit 4. Nfd2 variation

Youtube video on this line at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fEKAQLmdFE

1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Nd2 which is a 2 pawn
gambit, however White has to play very sharp and
accurately to win with this line.

Best Regards
DarthMusashi 

Listed delow are 2 sample games with the Lonsdale Variation of the Ulysses Gambit 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nf3 dxe4 4.Ne5.

[Event "OE-01B"]
[Site "CCCA"]
[Date "2001.03.30"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Lonsdale, David"]
[Black "Sarosy, Zoltan"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "B12"]
[PlyCount "83"]
[EventDate "2001.03.30"]
[Source "Marcel van Kerv"]

1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ne5 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bf5 6. Bc4 e6 7. g4 Bg6
8. h4 h5 9. Nxg6 fxg6 10. g5 Nd5 11. Nxe4 Nd7 12. Bd3 Qc7 13. Nc3 O-O-O 14. Nxd5 exd5 15. Bxg6 Bd6 16. Bxh5 Nf8 17. Qf3 Kb8 18. Be3 Ne6 19. Qf7 Qxf7 20. Bxf7 Nf4 21. Bxf4 Bxf4 22. Ke2 Rd7 23. Bg6 Re7+ 24. Kf3 Rf8 25. Kg2 Bd2 26. Raf1 Kc7 27. c3 Kd6 28. Bd3 Ref7 29. f3 Re7 30. Rd1 Be3 31. Rhe1 Rh8 32. Kg3 Rf8 33. Rf1 Bf4+ 34. Kg4 b6 35. Bf5 Be3 36. Rfe1 c5 37. dxc5+ Kxc5 38. f4 Rfe8 39. h5 d4 40. Rd3 Bf2 41. cxd4+ Kd5 42. Re5+ 1-0

[Event "Blitz 15m"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2013.05.01"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Nakamura, Clyde"]
[Black "FireFly v2.5.12"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "B12"]
[Annotator "Ulysses Gambit Lonsdale Var"]
[PlyCount "148"]
[EventDate "2013.??.??"]

{577MB, ClydeNakamura} 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nf3 dxe4 4. Ne5 Nd7 5. f4 e6 6. Nd2 Ngf6 7. Qe2 Qa5 8. c3 Be7 9. Nxe4 O-O 10. Qf3 Nxe4 11. Qxe4 Nf6 12. Qf3 Rd8 13. Bd3 Rxd4 14. O-O Ra4 15. a3 Qb6+ 16. Kh1 Qb3 17. c4 Qb6 18. Qh3 g6 19. g4 Qd4 20. g5 Nh5 21. Rb1 Bxg5 22. Nxf7 e5 23. f5 Bxc1 24. Rbxc1 Nf4 25. Qh6 Qxd3 26. Rxf4 Bxf5 27. Ng5 Qd7 28. Rxf5 Rxc4 29. Rg1 Qxf5 30. Qxh7+ Kf8 31. Qh8+ Ke7 32. Qxa8 Qd7 33. Qg8 Qd5+ 34. Qxd5 cxd5 35. h3 Kf6 36. Nh7+ Kg7 37. Ng5 Kf6 38. Nh7+ Kg7 39. Ng5 e4 40. Rd1 Rc2 41. Rxd5 e3 42. Re5 e2 43. Nf3 Rxb2 44. Kg1 Ra2 45. Kf2 Rxa3 46. Re7+ Kf6 47. Rxe2 b5 48. Rb2 a6 49. Kg2 g5 50. Nd4 Ra4 51. Nxb5 axb5 52. Rxb5 Ra2+ 53. Kg3 Ra3+ 54. Kg4 Ra4+ 55. Kg3 Ra3+ 56. Kg4 Ra4+ 57. Kg3 Rh4 58. Rb6+ Kf5 59. Rb5+ Kg6 60. Rb6+ Kh5 61. Rb8 Ra4 62. Rh8+ Kg6 63. Rg8+ Kh5 64. Rh8+ Kg6 65. Rg8+ Kf6 66. Rf8+ Kg7 67. Rf5 Kg6 68. Rb5 Ra3+ 69.
Kg4 Ra4+ 70. Kg3 Kh5 71. Rb8 Ra3+ 72. Kg2 Ra2+ 73. Kg3 Ra3+ 74. Kg2 Ra2+
1/2-1/2

Best Regards
DarthMusashi 

Hi DarthMusashi,

This is an interesting gambit, and I can't find much record of it! Though, it seems to me white does not get much compensation for his pawn if black plays a little accurately.

In particular I think 4... Bf5 is the correct move to defend the pawn, followed by the plan of e6, Nf6, Bd6, O-O etc. I think white has no better than to play f3 at some point and be a pawn down (though admittedly, with a semi-open f-file). Of course the blitz value of such an opening is undeniable.