What well known gambits are unsound?

hm.... it seems i have to give a better look on the benki gambit. Probably bot not, because im triing to deep my knowledge on the modern benoni systems. Maybe ia few months, but i suppose it could be worth a try.

Tnx all.

All I can say is that I don't like playing against the Benko and consequently have learned about six or seven systems against it, one of which is my own. At least that way, the buggers never know what they're going to get.

The variation where the knight goes to e4 is considered unsound. I think it's by means of such examples that we define what "unsound" implies. I think therefore that "unsound" means "fails to give decent chances of a draw against accurate play".

There is one line in the Albin Counter Gambit that intrigues me:

After 9. Qb3 I think it might be very hard for Black to defend his position:

 I guess Black should continue development with 9..Be7.

After 9. Qb3  Be7  White will play  10. e3  or maybe 10. Rd1 and hard for

Black to defend. After 9. Qb3  c6  10. e3 also.

After 9. Qb3   c6  10. e3  Bc5  11. exd4  Bxd4  12. Be3  c5  13. Bxd4 cxd4 then 14. Re1   13. ...Qxd4 is no better.

Of course there are other tries for Black, I am just saying this position after 9.Qb3 looks very hard for Black to defend.

At the end of your diagram black castles and how is it hard for them to defend?  I will let you figure out why qxe5 isn't so great for white

in post 286...at end of diagram black castles...Then you can figure out why qxe5 isn't that great for white

wow, thought king was still on e1 for some reason

Regarding the 9. Qb3  c6 variation

Probably 14.Na3 is better indeed, but also then I dont see problems for Black after 14...Bg4

Think it is way past my bed time but I do not see anything wrong with

11. Bd2  a4  12. a5