From 2018, these tournaments will be webserver only. Each tournament has a choice of openings available within each section i.e. (a) Gambit Openings (as White) and (b) Counter Gambit Openings (as Black).
Each Tourney usually consists of five players in All-Play-All format, so eight games in all, one with White and one with Black against each of the others. *** Occasionally the Gambit and Counter Gambit Tourneys may be combined if there are insufficient entries.
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Gambit Tournaments
In each game White selects the opening from the Gambit list*. In other words in each pairing of two games each player chooses the opening in the one game where he has White. You can choose any combination of Gambits, from the same Gambit in all games to four different Gambits.
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Counter-Gambit Tournaments
In each game Black selects the Opening to be played from the Counter-Gambit list*. Thus, in each pairing of two games, each player chooses the Opening in the game where he is Black. Once again you can choose any combination of Counter Gambits, from the same in all games to four different gambits.
* The lists of Gambits & Counter-Gambits changes every season to provide variety of play. The list for each season is given in the Summer issue of the magazine.
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NB. ‘The best way to refute a gambit is to accept it’ (Steinitz) Give it a try!
Contact the Tournament Director Alex Relyea for more information.
Gambit Openings (as White) and (b) Counter Gambit Openings (as Black). I am pleased to announce that we think we have figured out how to run these events on the server.
I have decided to descend further into the game this year (2019-20) as well as increase the amount of material being gambitted in hopes of sparking more interest If anyone has a suggestion for a gambit or counter gambit that might be interesting, please contact me and I will attempt to put it on the list for next year. I hope the selection below gives an idea of the breadth of scope I am interested in developing.
Gambit Openings (as White) and (b) Counter Gambit Openings (as Black). I am pleased to announce that we think we have figured out how to run these events on the server.
Each Tourney usually consists of five players in All-Play-All format, so eight games in all, one with White and one with Black against each of the others. If the number of entries is not divisible by five then you may have a different number of opponents, but we will try to make the groups as close to five as possible. *** Occasionally the Gambit and Counter Gambit Tourneys may be combined if there are insufficient entries. I have decided to descend further into the game this year as well as increase the amount of material being gambitted in hopes of sparking more interest If anyone has a suggestion for a gambit or counter gambit that might be interesting, please contact me and I will attempt to put it on the list for next year. I hope the selection below gives an idea of the breadth of scope I am interested in developing.
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Gambit Tournaments.
In each game White selects the opening from the following Gambit list. In other words in each pairing of two games each player chooses the opening in the one game where he has White. You can choose any combination of Gambits, from the same Gambit in all games to all different Gambits.
(1) French DefenseAdvance Variation1.e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Qb6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Na3 cxd4 7. cxd4 Bb4+ 8. Bd2 Nge7 9. Nc2 Bxd2+ 10. Qxd2 Qxb2
Is the b-pawn poisoned?
(2) Scotch Gambit 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. Ng5
An unusual way to handle the Scotch Gambit, but how much venom is aimed at f7?
(3) Catalan 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Nf3 dxc4 5. Bg2 a6 6. O-O Nc6 7. e3 Bd7 8. Qe2 b5 9. b3
Something of a main line in the Catalan. With 9.b3 White abandons a plan of recovering the c4-pawn. What compensation?
(4)French Defense Advance Variation 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.a3 Nh6 7.Bd3 cxd4 8.O-O
This looks something like a delayed Milner-Barry Gambit, but there are, of course, differences.
(5) Nimzo-Indian Defense 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 c5 5.dxc5 0–0 6.a3 Bxc5 7.Nf3 Qb6 8.e4 Ng4 9.Na4
Sam Shankland was the first strong player to play 8. e4, following with 9. Nd1. Hambleton went him one better actually gambitting the f2-pawn. Do you dare do the same?
(6)Slav Gambit 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. Be2 b4 7. Na4 Nxe4
- Be2 seems a tame alternative to 6. e5, but there is some bite to this solid developing move.
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Counter-Gambit Tournament
In each game Black selects the Opening to be played from the following Counter-Gambit list. Thus, in each pairing of two games, each player chooses the Opening in the game where he is Black. Once again you can choose any combination of Counter-Gambits, from the same in all games to all different Counter-Gambits.
(1) Senegalese Sacrifice Variation1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 b5
This is an interesting way to meet the French Tarrasch, but is it sound?
(2) Vaganian Gambit 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c53.Nf3Top of Form
Bottom of Form
cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 d5 6.cxd5 Bc5
- Nf3 is a way for White to sidestep the Benko Gambit which has been popular the past two years here. Perhaps this gambit offers a nice counterpoint for your repertoire.
(3) Alekhine Voronezh Variation1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. c4 Nb6 5. exd6 cxd6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Rc1 O-O 9. b3 d5 10. c5 Nc6
And so Black offers a piece. As always, the question is, is there sufficient compensation?
(4) Anti-Grünfeld 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 e5 5. Nxe5 O-O
If White refuses to play d4, a Grünfeld player can try this counter-gambit.
(5) English Opening 1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.Nf3 f5 4.g3 Nf6 5.d4 e4 6.Nh4 d5 7.Bg5 Bb4 8.cxd5 Nxd5
This is an interesting answer to a topical opening. 7..Bb4 is apparently hard to find in repertoire books against 1..e5, and Black gambits his queen for a single knight!
(6) King’s Indian Defense 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.h3 0–0 6.Be3 c5 7.Nf3 Qa5 8.Nd2 cxd4 9.Nb3 Qxc3+ 10.bxc3 dxe3
- Qd2 offers Black pleasant development, so the text is an interesting try for White. After 9..Qxc3+, Black has all the fun, but does he have enough for the Queen?