Muzio's gambit - a failure

hehe... That took some real chutzpah, first trying the gambit then posting the game. I play c3 on occasion is King's Gambit Accepted (but not the Muzio) and the pawn center is really nice. Next on your list of crazy gambits must be Duras Gambit or some crazy Modern Petroff line.

Well, firstly, your opponent played 4... d6, kinda transposing to the Fischer Defence. Do you think FISCHER, an uncompromising player, would let himself as Black to be defeated by the Muzio Gambit? I don't think so. d6 maybe still lets White play e5 after d4 was played for the price of exchanging pawns, but now the Bc8 looking at the kingside is free! It maybe looks like just a small move, but it could be anything but small in the Muzio. Unfortunately if he offers you Fischer Defence, better accept one than make your life harder by playing an out-of-mind gambit against it. Because in the Muzio, you see, both players are on the edge of a defeat, and even the smallest improvment for Black will most probably win him the game.

5.d4? is a subtle blunder

5.Nc3, 0-0, or d3 are best IMO

Analysis these games

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 Qf6 7. d3 Bc5+ 8. Kh1 Nc6 9. Nc3 Ne5 10. Qh5 Bd6 11. Bxf4 Qg6 12. Qh4 Nxc4 13. Nb5 c6 14. Nxd6+ Nxd6 15. Be5 Nxe4 16. Rae1 Ng5 17. Bxh8+ Ne6 18. Rf3 Qh6 19. Qf2 Qf8 20. Rf1 Ne7 21. Be5 f5 22. g4 Ng5 23. Re3 f4 24. Qxf4 Qxf4 25. Bxf4 Ne6 26. Bd6 c5 27. Rh3 b6 28. Rxh7 Bb7+ 29. Kg1 Ng8 30. Rh8 O-O-O 31. h4 c4 32. dxc4 Be4 33. Rf2 Kb7 34. h5 Rc8 35. b3 Ng5 36. Kf1 Ne6 37. Ba3 Kc7 38. Bb2 Ng5 39. Bc1 Ne6 40. g5 Rd8 41. Bf4+ Kc8 42. Bd6 Kb7 43. g6 Rc8 44. Be5 Rc5 45. Rxg8 Rxe5 46. h6 Rh5 47. g7 Rxh6 48. Rb8+ Kxb8 49. g8=Q+ Kb7 50. b4 a6 51. a4 Rh1+ 52. Ke2 {Black resigns.} 1-0

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 Qe7 7. d3 d6 8. Bxf4 Be6 9. Nc3 Nc6 10. Nd5 Qd7 11. Bb5 a6 12. Ba4 O-O-O 13. Bg5 Bg7 14. Bxd8 Qxd8 15. c3 Ne5 16. Qe2 Kb8 17. d4 Ng6 18. Rab1 Nh6 19. b4 c6 20. Bxc6 bxc6 21. b5 cxd5 22. bxa6+ Ka8 23. Rb7 Qe8 24. Qb2 Qc6 25. Rb1 Ne5 26. Rb8+ Ka7 27. dxe5 Ng4 28. Rb7+ Ka8 29. Kh1 Ne3 30. a7 Nc4 31. Qb4 Rc8 32. Rxf7 Qb6 33. Qxb6 Nxb6 34. Rxg7 Rc6 35. exd5 Bxd5 36. a4 Be6 37. a5 Nd7 38. Rxh7 Rxc3 39. h4 dxe5 40. Re7 Rc6 41. Kg1 Kxa7 42. Rb6 Rc1+ 43. Kh2 Bf5 44. Rf6 {Black resigns.} 1-0

Many great comments here.  I only have one to add, and if this has been said and i've missed it, my bad, bad gimly.  One of white's goals in king's gambit is to prevent black from getting out d5, which is a key counter punch in these positions.  Bc4 was a solid choice on move four and after black's d6, Nc3 may have been solving some of your problems.  Then after g4, o-o gxf3 qxf3, qf6 is met with Nd5, and it's hard to say where the queen should go.  White is threatening to take on c7, but if the queen slides back to d8, white's initial threat on f7 is reborn.  Either way, white is still attacking which is obviously the idea in the gambit.  Hope that helps. 

 I second this (the Nc3 part).  D4 does feel like a natural move letting all of white's pieces out, but the king's gambit is anything but natural. 

don't assume that your opponent is an idiot.  if you suprise him with an uncommon but good line that's great but don't play a questionable move because you think your opponent might not be ready for it..

SO GIVE HIM A KINGHT FOR FREE AND THEN PLAY C3 ?????///