Friday, August 25, 2006

Chess: Understanding the Elephant Gambit Part I

1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d5 3 exd5 e4 4 Qe2 Nf6 5 d3 Qxd5
6 dxe4 Qxe4 7 Nc3 Bb4 8 Bd2 Qxe2+ 9 Bxe2 O-O
10 a3 Bxc3 11 Bxc3 Nd5 12 Be5 Nc6 13 O-O-O Line




What's the game plan for Black?

Initially, Black sacrifices a pawn on d5 (2 ... d5)
so as to enable the advance e5-e4 (3 ... e4).
This maneuver gains space in the center and
harasses the f3 knight. Next, he regains the
proffered pawn through a Queen capture on d5
(5 ... Qxd5).


What's the game plan for White?

White first accepts on d5 (3 exd5) and then he
places his Queen on e2 (4 Qe2) in order to pin
Black's errant e4 pawn. Lastly, he builds up
pressure against e4 and compels Black to
relinquish his hold on that focal point
(5 d3; 6 dxe4; 7 Nc3; 8 Bd2).


1 e4



(i) Staking a claim on d5 and f5.
(ii) Enabling the f1 bishop to mobilize along the
f1-a6 diagonal.

1 ... e5



Black takes charge of d4 and f4, plus, he liberates the
f8 bishop along the f8-a3 diagonal.

2 Nf3



Development with attack. White threatens 3 Nxe5.

2 ... d5



Inaugurating the Elephant Gambit.
Black answers White's e5 threat with an attack on
the e4 pawn.

3 exd5



Prevention against 3 ... dxe4.

3 Nc3 is inadvisable because it allows the stifling
3 ... d4. For instance, 3 Nc3? d4 4 Ne2/4 Nb1,
forcing the knight back and leaving Black with a
good grip on the center. Not 3 Nc3? d4 4 Nd5? c6,
and the knight is lost. No better is 3Nc3? d4 4 Nb5? a6
5 Na3 Bxa3 6 bxa3 Qd6, ruining White's pawn structure
and weakening his control of the center.

3 Nxe5 Bd6 4 d4 dxe4 5 Bc4 Bxe5 6 Qh5 Qe7 7 dxe5 Be6
8 Bxe6 Qxe6 9 Nc3.

3 Nxe5 Bd6 4 Nxf7 Kxf7 5 Qh5+ Kf8 6 e5 Qe7 7 d4 Nc6
8 Be3 Nxe5 9 dxe5 Bxe5 10 c3 Nf6 11 Qe2.

3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 Bc4 Qg5 5 d4 Qxg2 6 Bxf7+ Ke7 7 Kd2 Nd7
8 Bc4 Nxe5 9 dxe5 Qg5+ 10 Ke1 Qxe5.

3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 Bc4 Qg5 5 d4 Qxg2 6 Bxf7+ Ke7 7 Rf1 Bh3
8 Bc4 Nf6 9 Bf4 Nbd7 10 Nc3.

3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 Bc4 Qg5 5 d4 Qxg2 6 Bxf7+ Ke7 7 Rf1 Bh3
8 Qe2 Qxf1+ 9 Qxf1 Bxf1 10 Bg5+ Nf6 11 Kxf1.

3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 Bc4 Qg5 5 Bxf7+ Ke7 6 d4 Qxg2 7 Rf1 Bh3.
3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 Bc4 Nh6 5 Qh5 Qe7 6 d4 g6 7 Qe2 f6
8 Bxh6 Bxh6 9 Nf7 Bc1 10 Nxh8 Bxb2.

3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 Bc4 Be6 5 Bxe6 fxe6 6 Qh5+ g6 7 Nxg6 Nf6
8 Qh3 hxg6 9 Qxh8.
3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 Bc4 Be6 5 Bxe6 fxe6 6 Qh5+ g6 7 Nxg6 Nf6
8 Qb5+ c6 9 Qxb7 hxg6 10 Qxa8 Qc7.
3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 d4 exd3 5 Bxd3 Bd6.
3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 d4 exd3 5 Bxd3 Nd7.
3 Nxe5 dxe4 4 d4 exd3 5 Bxd3 Nf6
3 Nxe5 Qe7 4 d4 f6 5 Nd3 dxe4 6 Nf4.
3 Nxe5 Qe7 4 d4 f6 5 Nd3 Qxe4.
3 Nxe5 Qe7 4 d4 f6 5 Nd3 Bf5.
3 Nxe5 Qe7 4 d4 f6 5 Ng4 dxe4 6 Nc3.
3 Nxe5 Qe7 4 d4 f6 5 Ng4 Qxe4+ 6 Ne3.
3 Nxe5 Qe7 4 d4 f6 5 Nf3 dxe4.
3 Nxe5 Qe7 4 d4 f6 5 Nf3 Nc6.
3 Nxe5 Qe7 4 d4 f6 5 Nc3 fxe5 6 Nxd5 Qf7 7 Bc4 Be6
(7 ... Nf6) 8 Nxc7+ Qxc7 9 Bxe6.

3 ... e4



Gaining space and assailing the f3 knight.

3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bg4 6 Be2 Nc6 7 O-O O-O-O
8 Nxe5 Bxe2 9 Qxe2 Nxd4 10 Qe3 Nh6 11 Qh3+ f5 12 Bf4 Ne6 (12 ... Bb4; 12 ... Be7) 13 Bxh6 Qxe5.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bg4 6 h3 Bxf3 7 Qxf3 Bb4
8 dxe5 Nc6 9 Bd2 O-O-O 10 O-O-O Nxe5 11 Qf5+ Kb8 12 f4 Nc4
13 Qxa5 Nxa5 14 a3 Be7 15 Be2 Nf6 16 Rhe1.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bg4 6 h3 Bxf3 7 Qxf3 Bb4
8 Bc4.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bg4 6 h3 Bxf3 7 Qxf3 exd4
8 Qxb7 dxc3 9 b3.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bg4 6 h3 exd4 7 Qxd4 Bxf3
8 Qe3+ Ne7 9 Qxf3.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bg4 6 h3 exd4 7 Qxd4 Bxf3
8 Qe3+ Be7 9 Qxf3 c6 10 Bc4 Nf6 11 O-O O-O 12 Re1 Bd6
13 Bd2 Qc7 14 Ne4 Be5 15 Qf5 Nbd7 16 Nxf6+ Bxf6 17 Rad1.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 exd4 6 Qe2+ Be7 7 Nxd4 c6
8 Bf4 Na6 9 O-O-O Bd7 10 Kb1 O-O-O 11 Qc4 g5 12 Bg3 Nh6
13 Nb3.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 exd4 6 Nxd4 Bb4 7 Bd2 Qe5+
8 Qe2 Qxe2+ 9 Bxe2 Ne7 10 O-O-O O-O 11 Ncb5 Bxd2+
12 Rxd2 Na6 13 Bf3 c6 14 Nd6 Rd8 15 Nb3 Nb4 16 Rhd1 Nbd5
17 Ne4 Rf8.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bb4 6 Bd2 exd4 7 Qe2+ Ne7
8 Nxd4 O-O 9 a3 Nbc6 10 Nb3 Qf5 11 axb4 Qxc2.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bb4 6 Bd2 Bg4 7 a3 Bd6
8 Bc4 exd4 9 Qe2+ Kf8.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bb4 6 Bd2 Bg4 7 dxe5 Nc6
8 a3 Nd4 9 Bb5+ c6 10 O-O Bxf3 11 axb4 Bxd1 12 bxa5 Bxc2
13 Ba4 Ne7 14 Bxc2 Nxc2 15 Ra4 Rd8 16 Ne4.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bb4 6 Bd2 Bg4 7 dxe5 Nc6
8 a3 Nd4 9 Bb5+ Nxb5 10 axb4 Qxb4 11 Ra4 Qxb2 12 Nxb5 Qxb5
13 Rxg4.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bb4 6 Bd2 Bg4 7 dxe5 Nc6
8 a3 Nd4 9 Bb5+ Nxb5 10 axb4 Qxb4 11 Ra4 Nxc3 12 Rxb4 Nxd1
13 Rxg4 Nxb2 14 Rb4.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bb4 6 Bd2 Bg4 7 dxe5 Nc6
8 a3 Nd4 9 Be2 Bxf3 10 Bxf3 Qxe5+ 11 Kf1 Bxc3 12 Bxc3 O-O-O
13 Bxd4 Rxd4 14 Qe2 Qf6 15 g3 Nh6 16 Kg2.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bb4 6 Bd2 Bg4 7 dxe5 Nc6
8 a3 Nd4 9 Be2 Bxf3 10 gxf3 O-O-O 11 O-O Bxc3 12 bxc3 Ne6
13 f4 Nxf4 14 Bg4+ Ne6 15 Qe2.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 d4 Bb4 6 Bd2 Bg4 7 dxe5 Nc6
8 a3 Bxf3 9 Qxf3 Qxe5+ 10 Be2 Bd6 11 O-O-O Nge7 12 Bd3.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qa5 5 Bc4.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qe6 5 Bb5+ c6 6 Ba4 Qg6 7 Qe2 Be7
8 Bb3 f6 9 d4.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qe6 5 Bb5+ c6 6 Ba4 Qg6 7 Qe2 Be7
8 Bb3 Nh6 9 d3.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qe6 5 Bb5+ c6 6 Ba4 Qg6 7 Qe2 Qxg2
8 Rg1 Qh3 9 Rg3 Qh5 10 Rg5 Qh3 11 Rxe5+ Ne7 12 Nd5 Qd7
13 Nxe7 Bxe7 14 d4 Qd8 15 Bd2.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qe6 5 Bb5+ Bd7 6 O-O.
3 ... Qxd5 4 Nc3 Qe6 5 Ng5 Qe7 6 Nd5 Qd8 7 Bc4.
3 ... Bd6 4 Nc3 Nf6 5 Bb5+ Bd7 6 Bxd7+ Nbxd7 7 O-O O-O
8 d4 e4 9 Ng5.
3 ... Bd6 4 d4 e4 5 Ne5 Nf6 6 Bb5+ Nbd7 7 Bg5.
3 ... Bd6 4 d4 e4 5 Ne5 Nf6 6 Bb5+ Bd7 7 Nxd7 Nbxd7
8 O-O a6 9 Bxd7+ Qxd7 10 c4 O-O-O 11 Nc3.
3 ... Bd6 4 d4 e4 5 Ne5 Nf6 6 Bb5+ Bd7 7 Nxd7 Nbxd7
8 O-O a6 9 Bxd7+ Qxd7 10 c4 O-O 11 Nc3 b5
12 Bg5.
3 ... Bd6 4 d4 e4 5 Ne5 Nf6 6 Bb5+ c6 7 dxc6 bxc6
8 Nxc6 Qb6 9 Nc3 Nxc6 10 d5.
3 ... Bd6 4 d4 e4 5 Ne5 Nf6 6 Bb5+ c6 7 dxc6 O-O
8 cxb7 Bxb7 9 Nc3.

4 Qe2



(i) Pinning the pawn to the King and consequently
preventing 4 ... exf3.
(ii) Threatening 5 Qxe4.

4 ... Nf6



(i) Deterring threat (ii) above.
(ii) Checking out the forward d5 pawn.

4 ... Be7 5 Qxe4 Nf6 6 Bb5+ Bd7.
4 ... Be7 5 Qxe4 Nf6 6 Bb5+ c6 7 dxc6 Nxe4 8 cxb7+.
4 ... Be7 5 Qxe4 Nf6 6 Bb5+ c6 7 dxc6 Nxc6 8 Bxc6+ bxc6
9 Qxc6+ Bd7 10 Qa6.
4 ... Qxd5 5 Nc3 Qe6 (5 ... Qd8).
4 ... Qe7 5 Nd4 Nf6 6 Nc3.
4 ... Qe7 5 Nd4 Qe5 6 Nb5 Bd6 7 d4.
4 ... f5 5 d3 Nf6 6 dxe4 fxe4 7 Nc3 Bb4 8 Qb5+ c6
9 Qxb4 exf3 10 Bg5 cxd5 11 O-O-O Nc6 12 Qc5.
4 ... f5 5 d3 Nf6 6 dxe4 fxe4 7 Nc3 Be7 8 Nxe4 Nxd5 9 Bg5.
4 ... f5 5 d3 Nf6 6 dxe4 fxe4 7 Nc3 Be7 8 Ng5 O-O 9 Qc4 Kh8.
4 ... f5 5 d3 Nf6 6 dxe4 fxe4 7 Nc3 Be7 8 Ng5 Nxd5 9 Qxe4 Nxc3
10 bxc3 Qd6 11 Bc4.
4 ... f5 5 d3 Nf6 6 dxe4 fxe4 7 Nc3 Be7 8 Ng5 Nxd5 9 Qxe4 Nxc3
10 bxc3 Nc6 11 Ba3.

5 d3



White pressurizes the e4 pawn a second time.
Additionally, he facilitates the activation
of the c1 bishop.

5 Nc3 Be7 6 Nxe4 Nxd5 7 d4 O-O 8 Bd2 Re8 9 O-O-O.
5 Nc3 Be7 6 Nxe4 Nxd5 7 d3 O-O 8 Qd1 Nc6 9 Be2.
5 Nc3 Be7 6 Nxe4 Nxd5 7 d3 O-O 8 Qd1 Re8 9 Be2.
5 Nc3 Be7 6 Nxe4 O-O 7 Nc3 Re8 8 Qd1 Bb4+ 9 Be2 Qe7
10 a3 Bxc3 11 dxc3 Nxd5 12 Bg5 Qe6.
5 c4 Bb4 (5 ... c6; 5 ... Bd6) 6 a3 (6 Nd4; 6 Ng5) O-O
7 Ng5 Bd6 8 d3 exd3 9 Qxd3 Nbd7 (9 ... c6) 10 Be2 Ne5 11 Qc2.

5 ... Qxd5



Black gains his pawn back.

5 ... Be7 6 dxe4 O-O 7 Bg5 Nxe4 8 Bxe7 Qxe7 9 Nbd2 Bf5
10 O-O-O Re8 11 Nd4 Bg6 12 Nxe4 Bxe4.
5 ... Be7 6 dxe4 O-O 7 Nc3 Re8 8 Bd2 Bb4 9 O-O-O Bxc3
10 Bxc3 Nxe4 11 Qc4.
5 ... Be7 6 dxe4 O-O 7 Qd3 Re8 8 Be3.

6 dxe4



6 Nbd2.
6 Ng5.


6 ... Qxe4



7 Nc3



Mobilization towards e4.

7 Qxe4.

7 ... Bb4



But not if the bishop has anything to say about it.
The Queen is now immune from 8 Nxe4.

7 ... Qxe2.

8 Bd2



Breaking the c3 pin and renewing the threat
of 9 Nxe4.

8 ... Qxe2+



It's time to trade Queens.

9 Bxe2



9 ... O-O



King safety is always a priority!

9 ... c6.

10 a3



Questioning the bishop's b4 presence.

10 O-O-O.

10 ... Bxc3



10 ... Ba5.
10 ... Bc5.


11 Bxc3



11 ... Nd5



Scoping out the bishop, especially since ... Nxc3
saddles White with double pawns following bxc3.

12 Be5



Evading capture and assuming a more active position.

12 ... Nc6



Development towards e5 and d4.

13 O-O-O



Securing the King and attacking the d5 knight.

By ChessCoach@care2.com



















1 Comments:

Blogger Abhinav Asthana said...

Beautifully explained. Lot of hard work involved in creating this blog. Excellent effort.

6:41 AM  

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