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Win with Stafford Gambit!

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trw0311
Falkentyne wrote:

Stockfish gives 5 d3 as almost a two pawn lead in total advantage (about +1.75-+1.80). That means the opening is complete garbage for Black and should not even be considered if you actually care about improving your chess game. There is no way that Black can come close to equalizing with correct play, unlike lines where White only has a +0.50 advantage at most, usually in such positions, Black can reduce the advantage and find a way to equalize with perfect play.

All White has to do is study the simplifying and defensive lines after all of the primary moves (5...h5, 5...Be6, 5...Qe7, 5...Bc5 and 5...g6, with ...Bc5 being the most pointed), and then after the primary line after 5...Bc5, 6 Be2 Ng4 7 Bxg4 Qh4 8 Qf3! forces trades and leaves Black wondering why he threw away a pawn.

This opening is no better than the Englund Gambit (1 d4 e5 2 dxe5 Nc6 3 Nf3 Qe7 4 Bf4(g5) Qb4+ 5 Bd2(Nc3) Qxb2 6 Nc3(Bd2) Bb4 7 Rb1 Qa3 8 Nd5! +/-; 6...Nb4?! 7 Nd4 c6 (7...Na6 8 e3 Qa3 9 Bd3 leaves Black with a hopeless position +/-) 8 Rb1 Qa3 9 Rb3 Qa5 10 a3 Nd5 11 Ncb5! +- is no better.

I made a post with my refutation a few days ago in this forum. I definitely did not break it down as eloquently as you, and I think I’m going to try d3. That seems pretty cut and dry that the stafford is unplayable outside of low rated speed chess.

i have been having good luck with 5. E5?! Followed by 6. D4. I rarely lose to this opening anymore unless I blunder outside the opening. It used to be like the Englund gambit for me when I was lower rated, falling for the stupid traps , but now I just squish that one too.