[Event "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Two Knights' Defence"]
[Black "A for Awful"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[PlyCount "9"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 3... Nf6 {White may be surprised into playing} 4.
Nc3 $6 {when you can play the nice trick:} (4. O-O {
Not a daft move, and maybe a bit sneaky.
Just lop off the pawn:} 4... Nxe4 5.
d4 (5. Nc3 {is the BKG below}) 5... exd4 {is line D for Dynamic}) 4... Nxe4 $1
{Black gets the piece back and is assured of an open game and easy development.
You must play this sort of move if you get a chance!  The lines in detail go:}
5. O-O (5. Bxf7+ Kxf7 6. Nxe4 d5 7. Neg5+ 7... Kg8 {Black has a misplaced King
but the two Bishops and strong centre mean that White can't really attack it. 
Black has a big plus score from this position!}) (5. Nxe4 d5 6. Bd3 (6. Bxd5
Qxd5 7. Nc3) 6... dxe4 7. Bxe4 Bd6 8. d4 exd4 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Qxd4 O-O 11.
O-O c5 12. Qc3 12... Bb7 {White has given up the two Bishops to mess up
Black's pawns.  I think that's a fair swap, and the position is equal.}) ({
I expect most of your games after 4...Nxe4! will be in these two lines, but
White does have another idea:} 5. O-O $5 {
is an attempt to get into a messy line called the Boden-Kieseritzky Gambit.}
5... Nxc3 6. dxc3 Be7 (6... f6 7. Nh4 g6 8. f4 Qe7 9. Kh1 d6 10. f5 10... Qg7 {
is the main line, where Black has a pawn and no weaknesses, but not much
activity yet.  I think that line is OK but not much fun for Black.  You can
take all the ginger out of the gambit by returning the pawn:}) 7. Qd5 O-O 8.
Nxe5 Nxe5 9. Qxe5 9... d6 {This isn't a very exciting position, but that's
White's fault for not playing a better opening.    It's often simplest to give
back a gambit pawn to catch up on development.  }) *

[Event "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Two Knights' Defence"]
[Black "B for Boring"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[PlyCount "18"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 4... Be7 {So, don't open up the position
just yet, go ...Be7 and castle first, and then have a look at ...d5.} (4... Bc5
{4...Bc5 may be the best move, but then you often get into the Old Stodge
variation with 5.Nc3, which I try to avoid.  } 5. Nc3) (4... d5 $6 {Also, 4. d3
d5!? is the right attitude but may be the wrong move.  Remember you are Black,
and a move behind.  Opening up the game might lead to trouble - in this case,
a quick White attack on your e5-Pawn by Re1.  You should know the general rule:
  Don't open up lines when you are behind in development.    } 5. exd5 Nxd5 6.
O-O Be7 7. Re1 Bg4 (7... f6 8. d4 $1) 8. h3 {Are you really behind?  Both
sides have two pieces out, true, but White is much closer to castling.  After
8.h3, you really don't have a good move.}) 5. O-O O-O 6. Bb3 (6. Re1 {
Now, White has clamped down on d5 (Re1), and so you will either have to
continue developing without an open line (play, for example ...Nc6-d8-e6-f4)
or head for a different break (...f7-f5).  Seebelow!}) 6... d6 {Now the d-pawn
is defended, Black can swap the important White Bishop by ...Na5, so White
usually plays.} (6... d5 {might be possible now:} 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Re1 Bg4 9. h3
Bh5 10. g4 Bg6 11. Nxe5 Nxe5 12. Rxe5 12... Nb6 $11 {but you don't usually get
to play ...d5, so you can just follow the same plans below.}) 7. c3 {White now 
plans a slow attack against your King.  There are two good plans for you here:
  (1) You can play to get some space with Na5 and c5:  (2) Another way of
playing is to chase the Bb3 off the Italian Diagonal with the other Knight,
then play ...f5} 7... Nd7 $1 (7... Na5 8. Bc2 8... c5 {This is very
grandmasterly.   If you learn about the Ruy Lopez you will recognise this pawn
structure for Black.  Well, it's good, but it's not so easy to understand.}) 8.
Nbd2 Nc5 9. Bc2 9... f5 {Does that look a bit easier to understand? Black has
good development and is starting to find an open line for the Rf8.  I don't
think many juniors would be happy facing this line!} *

[Event "?"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Two Knights' Defence"]
[Black "C for Cheeky"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[PlyCount "24"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 $5 {
Cheeky! White can have a pawn if you get the attack.} 4... d5 ({
A good Secret Weapon to have for rapid games is} 4... Bc5 $5 {The Wilkes Barre
Variation (USA) or the Traxler Count erattack ((Europe)? Let's just call it
Bonkers.} 5. Nxf7 (5. Bxf7+ {
the boring truth is that White is += after this move} 5... Ke7 (5... Kf8 $5 6.
Bb3 (6. Bd5 $2 6... Nxd5 7. exd5 Qxg5) 6... d5 7. exd5 (7. O-O h6 8. exd5 hxg5
9. dxc6 e4 10. d3 Qd6 11. g3 Bg4 12. cxb7 Rb8 13. Qd2 Qxg3+ 14. hxg3 14... Bf3
$19) 7... Nd4) 6. Bb3 (6. Bd5 Rf8 7. Rf1 (7. O-O d6) 7... Qe8 8. Nc3 d6 9. h3
Qg6 10. d3 h6 11. Nf3 Qxg2 12. Nh4 Bxf2+ 13. Rxf2 Qg1+ 14. Rf1 Qg3+ 15. Kd2
Qg5+) 6... Rf8) 5... Bxf2+ 6. Kxf2 (6. Kf1 Qe7 7. Nxh8 d5 8. exd5 Nd4 9. h3 (9.
c3 Bg4 10. Qa4+ Nd7 11. Kxf2 Qh4+) (9. d6 cxd6 10. c3 Bg4 11. Qa4+ Kf8 12. cxd4
exd4 13. Kxf2 Ne4+ 14. Kg1 Qh4 15. h3 Qf2+ 16. Kh2 Qg3+ 17. Kg1 Bf3 18. Bf1
18... Ng5 $19) 9... Bg3 10. c3 Nf5 11. d4 Bd7 12. Qe2 Bh2 13. Kf2 Ng3 14. Qe1
Nfe4+ 15. Kf3 Nd2+ 16. Nxd2 Qf6+ 17. Ke3 Qf4+ 18. Kd3 Bf5+) 6... Nxe4+ 7. Kg1 (
7. Ke1 Qh4+ 8. g3 Nxg3 9. Rf1 Nh1+ 10. Ke2 Qe4#) 7... Qh4 8. g3 Nxg3 9. hxg3 (
9. Nxh8 d5 10. Qf3 (10. Bxd5 Nd4 11. c3 Bh3 12. Bf3 O-O-O 13. Nf7 Rf8 14. Nxe5
Nge2+ 15. Bxe2 Qf2#) 10... Nf5) 9... Qxg3+ 10. Kf1 Rf8) 5. exd5 5... b5 $5 {
I like this approach: Black's pieces come to very natural sq uares.} (5... Na5
$1 {The Grandmaster move.}) (5... Nxd5 {
A sensible-looking move, but it's not good:} 6. d4 $1 $16 {and White is
looking to play the sacrifice Nxf7! with Qf3+, castles and a deadly attack.}) (
5... Nd4 {is the Fritz variation, the main line of which transposes:} 6. c3 b5
7. Bf1) 6. Bf1 {This is the best move, although I would be surprised if a club
player who didn't know the line came up with this reply. It secures g2 so that
White can capture on b5.} (6. Bxb5 6... Qxd5 {Black then has a lead in
development, and has nicely centralised pieces: White is rather uncoordinated
and may struggle to get going now. Black already has a fork of b5 and g2.
White doesn't get very far with:} 7. Bxc6+ (7. Be2 {0-1 Wademark H-Keller M/
corr 5.OSTSEE/MM (FS (3328) 1986 (30) In this under-rehearsed position Black
has tried three moves in three games, losing two and winning one! - although
this had more to do with later play than this move.}) (7. Nc3 {
Another natural try for White; Black nearly always plays} 7... Qxg2 8. Qf3 Qxf3
9. Nxf3 9... Bd7 {This position is very different: piece activity is still
important but not to generate threats against the King.} 10. Rg1 {
White leaves the King in the middle and tries to be annoying about g7.} (10.
O-O {Now Black can develop the last minor piece:} 10... Nb4 {This more counter-
attacking try looks more in keeping with Black's choice of opening, although I
don't know if it is any better. In the one example I have, White gave up the
exchange for insufficient compensation with} 11. d4 {
0-1 Kunath,E (DDR)-Knorr,B/S 145 1989 (24)}) (10. d3 {
sensible enough but not really a winning attempt.} 10... Nd4 11. Bxd7+ Kxd7 12.
Nxd4 exd4 13. Ne4 {natural but drops a Pawn:} 13... Nxe4 14. dxe4 Re8 15. f3 f5
16. O-O fxe4 17. fxe4 Rxe4 18. Rf7+ Re7 19. Rf5 19... Re2 {
0-1 Wolf R - Tisdall Jonathan D/Olympiad (1) 1992 (31)}) 10... e4 {
is more assertive:} 11. Ng5 Ne5 12. Bxd7+ Kxd7 13. Rg3 Re8 14. Kf1 Nc6 15. d3
Bd6 16. Rh3 exd3 17. Nxf7 Rhf8 18. Nxd6 cxd6 19. cxd3 Ng4 20. Nd1 Nd4 21. Rxh7
Rf7 22. Bg5 Nf3 23. Bh4 Re1+ 24. Kg2 Rg1+ 25. Kh3 Nxh4 26. Kxh4 26... Ne5 {
0-1 Bjornsson Tomas (ISL)-Arnason A. Arni (ISR)/It (open), Reykjavik (Iceland)
(128) 1984}) (7. c4) 7... Qxc6 8. Qf3 (8. O-O {
is a safer try, although the delay means that Black also can get castled.} 8...
Bb7 (8... h6 {is too slow:} 9. Qf3 e4 10. Nxe4 {
that's the difference: after recapturing on e4 Black is awkwardly pinned} 10...
Nxe4 11. d3 Ba6 12. Re1 Be7 13. Qxe4 Qxe4 14. Rxe4 {Black's two good Bishops
did not save the game in Tangelder Yonne - Brockmans Aline/Ch Europe cadets
und (7) 1995 (1-0, 29)}) 9. f3 {
A radical approach to problems along the long diagonal but rather invites:} (9.
Qf3 e4 10. Qb3 O-O-O 11. Qh3+ {to defend g2.} 11... Kb8 12. Nc3 12... Rd7 {
Black defends f7, and then makes a virtue of this necessity by doubling Rooks
on the d-file.} 13. Re1 Bb4 14. d3 {
White gives back the Pawn to complete development.} 14... exd3 15. cxd3 Rhd8
16. Be3 Bxc3 17. bxc3 Qxc3 18. Rab1 18... Qxd3 {Black is now even a Pawn ahead,
but King safety is most important for the moment.} 19. Qf3 Qd5 20. Qxd5 Nxd5
21. Bd4 h6 22. Ne4 22... Nb6 {Black has patched up the b-file and eventually
drew a long endgame: Kan Ilia (RUS)-Konstantinopolski Alexander (RUS/Ch URS,
Moscow (Russia) (1) 1945/1/2-1/2 (91)}) (9. Nf3 {
In one game White brought the Knight back into play but walked straight into:}
9... g5 10. h3 h5 11. Qe2 Bd6 12. d3 g4 13. hxg4 hxg4 14. Ne1 e4 15. g3 O-O-O
16. dxe4 Rh3 17. Bf4 Rdh8 18. f3 18... Ba6 {0-1 Carter,R - Endsley,B/cr 1969})
9... Bc5+ 10. Kh1 h6 11. Nh3 {Black can play ...e4 immediately or prepare it
by castling: if Black does castle, White can try to slow it up by d2-d3, when
Black can try a King's-side Pawn storm to open lines against the King. I have
one game in each line, both quick Black wins.} 11... e4 (11... O-O-O 12. d3 g5
13. Nf2 g4 14. Nd2 Rhg8 15. Nde4 Bxf2 16. Nxf6 gxf3 17. Rxf2 Rxg2 18. Be3 Qxf6
19. Qd2 19... Rxh2+ {0-1 Best C-Muir W/corr USA (FS (-15360) 1967}) 12. d4
O-O-O 13. c3 g5 14. Qc2 14... exf3 $1 15. Qf5+ Kb8 16. gxf3 Rd5 17. Qc2 g4 18.
Nf4 Rg5 19. Nd2 gxf3 20. Nxf3 Qxf3+ 21. Rxf3 Bxf3+ 22. Ng2 Rxg2 23. Qxg2 Bxg2+
24. Kxg2 Bd6 25. Bd2 Ne4 26. Be3 26... Rg8+ {
0-1 Bettermann,B (FRG)-Roscher,J/S 161 1989}) 8... e4 {
Black naturally avoids the exchange of Queens, although there was once a game}
9. Qb3 9... Bc5 {Black ignores the threat to f7, believing that White has not
the piece activity either to harrass the King or steer for a favourable
endgame. The only three games in the database ended in quick wins for Black:}
10. Qxf7+ Kd8 11. O-O Rf8 (11... h6 12. Qxg7 Rg8 13. Qxh6 Bb7 14. Kh1 e3 15. f3
e2 16. Re1 Ne4 17. fxe4 17... Qxh6 $17) (11... Rf8 {
This is the most natural, although Black has tried} 12. Qxg7 Rg8 13. Qh6 Bb7
14. Rd1 Bxf2+ 15. Kf1 Ke7 16. Nxh7 {A triumph of Black's strategy: White has
loads of useless Pawns, and no more pieces in play than when Black played ...
Bc5 at move 9!} 16... Bd4 {0-1 Sandrin - Weiss/cr 1962})) (6. dxc6 bxc4 7. Nc3
h6 (7... Bc5 8. h3 (8. Nxf7 {is hard to understand!} 8... Kxf7 9. Qe2 Ba6 10.
O-O Re8 11. Ne4 Nxe4 12. Qxe4 12... Qf6 {
returning the piece also looks decidely unforced} 13. Qd5+ Re6 14. Qxc5 Rxc6
15. Qd5+ Qe6 16. Qf3+ Kg8 17. Re1 Rf8 18. Qe3 Qf6 19. Qxa7 Rb6 20. f3 20... Qc6
{0-1 Foerster,D (DDR)-Roscher,J/S 159 1989}) 8... O-O 9. Qe2 h6 10. Nge4 Bb6
11. b4 Nxe4 12. Qxe4 Qf6 13. O-O Be6 14. b5 {
White is hoping to hang on to everything but keeps moving Pawns to do so.}
14... Rfd8 15. Bb2 Rxd2 16. Na4 Bd5 17. Qe1 Qg5 18. g4 Qh4 19. Bxe5 19... Qxh3
{0-1 Flugrath,R (DDR)-Roscher,J/S 155 1989}) (7... Bf5 8. Qe2 Bxc2 9. Nb5 Be7
10. Qxc4 Bg6 11. Nf3 a6 12. Nc3 Bd3 13. Qa4 Bd6 14. b3 O-O 15. Bb2 Re8 16.
O-O-O Bc5 17. Qh4 17... Qd4 $4 18. Nxd4 exd4 19. Na4 {
1-0 Scheglmann,D (DDR)-Weiz,W/corr OT 47 1989}) 8. Nf3 (8. Nge4 Nxe4 9. Nxe4
Qd5 10. Qf3 Be6 11. O-O 11... O-O-O $44)) (6. Qe2 {This neglected reply is
probably as good as many of the ones more commonly played. After:} 6... bxc4 7.
dxc6 {White hopes to play Qxc4 hitting f7; Black has a choice:} 7... Qd5 {
This is the commonest and best reply, securing c4 and f7 and attacking c6 and
g2.} 8. O-O 8... Bd6 {Black has the two Bishops but muddled Queen's-side Pawns.
It is natural for White to seek an ending with Qf3 but experience with
alternatives is limited.} 9. Na3 {disaster followed:} (9. Nc3 Qxc6 10. Nge4
Nxe4 11. Qxe4 11... Bb7 {when Black might have been hoping to make something
out the two active Bishops in an ending, but} 12. f3 $4 12... Qb6+ {
0-1 Milunovic V-Miele R/It (open), Portoroz (Slovenia) 1994}) (9. Qf3 9... e4 {
hoping to avoid the exchange but inviting a tactical flurry} 10. Nxe4 Nxe4 11.
Re1 f5 12. d3 cxd3 13. cxd3 Qxc6 14. dxe4 O-O 15. e5 Qxf3 16. gxf3 Re8 17. f4
Bb7 18. Bd2 Bc5 19. Be3 Bb4 20. Nd2 20... Re6 {after this logical sequence of
moves Black is still a Pawn down and White eventually uncurled and won: Rej
Dennis (DEN)-Nielsen Carsten Juul (DEN)/Ch Denmark (select), Gladsaxe (Denmark)
1993/1-0 (50)}) 9... Bxa3 10. bxa3 O-O 11. Bb2 Re8 12. Rfe1 Bf5 13. Bxe5 Ng4
14. h3 Rxe5 15. Qf3 15... Rae8 {
0-1 Anderson Michael - Grey Peter/San Francisco (3) 1995}) (6. Bb3 {Also rather
tame. Black commonly gets the two Bishops in the ending, as in the last
variation, but without being a Pawn down} 6... Nd4 {
0-1 Loonstra A - Stegeman F/It open (4) 1996 (33)}) 6... h6 $1 (6... Nd4 $5 {
This slides into the Fritz variation, which is extremely bonkers.} 7. c3 Nxd5
8. Ne4 {Black can play safer with:} 8... Ne6 {when one game went} (8... Qh4 $5
{is a very famous line.} 9. Ng3 Bg4 10. f3 10... e4 {Black is attacking as
hard as possible! White has a choice of pieces to take, but Black has the
attack - so is it enough? There was a world championship postal game in this
line, which Black won, and there has been a lot of work put in since!  I think
the verdict is: White should come out on top.}) 9. Bxb5+ Bd7 10. Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.
O-O 11... f5 {Black is still keen to attack, but without giving up a piece. 
White gets time to castle, but I'd sooner be Black and have the fun.  Some
more example moves:} 12. Ng3 g6 13. d4 exd4 14. cxd4 14... Bg7 {Black has good
active pieces and some targets to aim at - is it worth a pawn?   Well, you can
have some fun with that in a friendly game!    But in a serious game, we don't
want to play something so risky.  I recommend the simple 6...h6}) 7. Nf3 (7.
Nxf7 Kxf7 8. dxc6 8... Bc5 {If you play a gambit, you must look forward to
playing this type of position! Black has successfully tried other moves than ..
.Bc5 but that is the most natural. After ...Bc5 White has a choice:} 9. d4 {
A good idea, returning some material to gain time to consolidate.} (9. Qf3 {
0-1 Primakow X-Stschebenjuk M/corr (FS (1024) 1983 (21) Another move to
exploit the Queen's position. (9) While this is a useful antidote to the
threat of ...Qd5 and ...Bb7, it makes less sense here, and only provides a
target for Black's raids on f2.}) (9. Bxb5 {A brave bite.} 9... Ng4 10. O-O Qh4
11. Qf3+ {Else Black will organise the attack with ...Rf8 and ...Kg8.} (11. h3
{Horrible.} 11... Bxf2+ {0-1 Kazoks A-Kahn P/corr OMT 5 (FS (3072) 1985 (18)})
11... Ke8 12. Qg3 Qxg3 13. hxg3 {Even after the exchange of Queens, Black's
initiative persists, and White may be lucky to survive the attack on the King.
All Black's pieces can join the attack, and the Queen's Rook often nips across
via the b-file.} 13... Rf8 14. Bd3 Nxf2 15. Bg6+ Ke7 16. d4 Bxd4 17. Nd2 Ba6
18. c4 Rf6 19. Bh5 Nd3+ 20. Kh2 Rxf1 21. Nxf1 Nxc1 22. Rxc1 Bxb2 23. Rc2 23...
Bd4 {Black has good chances despite the reduced material: Berlinsky Vladimir -
Lima Darcy/Olympiad (4) 1996/0-1 (50)}) (9. Be2 {This looks a much saner idea.}
9... Ne4 {
is the commonest reply, although Black has improvised here with mixed results:}
10. O-O Qf6 11. Bf3 Nxf2 12. Qe2 e4 13. Bh5+ g6 14. d4 exd3 15. cxd3 Qd4 16. b4
Re8 17. Bxg6+ Kxg6 18. Qxe8+ Kg7 19. Qe2 Nxd3+ 20. Kh1 20... Bg4 {1/2-1/2 Feich
tner,E (FRG)-Tiemann,H/S 112 1989: not a result I completely understand! Black
seems on the verge of regaining at least some of the sacrificed material, but
I'd be surprised if this position is drawn. Perhaps both opponents were
frightened of finding out who was winning...} 21. Bxh6+ (21. Qc2 Rf8) 21... Kh8
(21... Kxh6 22. Qd2+ Kh7 23. bxc5) 22. Qc2) 9... exd4 10. Be2 Rf8 11. O-O Kg8
12. Nd2 (12. Bxb5 {led to a quick draw after} 12... Ng4 13. Nd2 Qh4 14. h3 Nxf2
15. Rxf2 Qxf2+ 16. Kh1 16... Bxh3 {"=" Kirillow X-Stschebenjuk M/corr (FS
(1024) 1984, but I reckon Black is doing quite well here:} 17. gxh3 Rae8 18.
Bc4+ Kh8 19. Qg1 Re1 (19... Qxg1+ 20. Kxg1 $15) 20. Bf1 Qxg1+ 21. Kxg1 $16
21... Bb4 22. c3 dxc3) 12... Qd6 13. Nf3 Bf5 14. Qd2 Be4 15. Qf4 Qxc6 16. Ne5
Qe8 17. Qg3 Nh5 18. Bxh5 Qxh5 19. Nd3 19... Bd6 {
Black has a strong attack with the two Bishops and is not a Pawn down.} 20. f4
Rf6 21. Qf2 c5 22. b4 Bxd3 23. cxd3 cxb4 24. Kh1 Re8 25. Qxd4 Bc5 26. Qd7 Re2
27. f5 27... Bd6 {0-1 Huenerfauth,U (FRG)-Zugehoer,E/WT/M\4661989-90 1990}) (7.
dxc6 7... hxg5 {0-1 Posern,M (DDR)-Roscher,J/S 160 1989 (15) a curious
position: perhaps a cat has walked across the board.}) (7. Ne6 {Morozevich
ander (RUS)-Piket Jeroen (NED)/It, London (England) (1) 1995/0-1 (50) An
uncommon choice, trying to make a mess! Black must develop around the doubled
e-Pawns.} 7... fxe6 8. dxc6) (7. Bxb5 {
is rather inconsequent: the following sequence is more or less forced...} 7...
Qxd5 8. Nc3 Qxg2 9. Qf3 Qxf3 10. Nxf3 10... Bd7 {0-1 Schubert Hans-Joach _
Hector Jonny/It 1990 (22) when Black has fair chances: in the game White just
went on the slide.}) 7... Qxd5 8. Nc3 8... Qe6 {is all fairly predictable. Now:
} 9. Nxb5 {This capture threatens Nxc7.  After defending c7, your plan is the
same: Bb7 and long castling.} (9. Bxb5 {White's fidgety Bishop decides to take
the pawn after all!  Black defends the Knight and then castles:} 9... Bb7 10.
d3 O-O-O 11. Qe2 11... Qg4 {Now ...Nd4 is a threat as well as ...Qxg2, so
White gives up the Bishop to remove the Knight.} 12. Bxc6 Bxc6 13. Rg1 13... e4
$1 {Before White settles down, Black punches again!  Poor White would love to
play the Bc1 somewhere and castle, but doesn't have time.}) 9... Qe7 10. d3 Bb7
11. Be2 O-O-O 12. O-O 12... e4 $1 {Again, keep jabbing at White so they can't
settle down and set about winning an endgame with the extra pawn.} *

[Event "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Two Knights' Defence"]
[Black "D for Dynamic"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[PlyCount "30"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. O-O (5. e5 {
White can play here 5. e5, when Black can reply 5...Ne4 and 6...d5, or 5...Ng4.
} 5... Ne4 6. Bd5 (6. Qe2 Nc5 7. O-O 7... Ne6 $1 {
...asking White how they are planning to get their pawn back...}) (6. O-O d5 7.
Bb5 7... Bg4 $1 (7... Bd7 {
7...Bd7 is the main line that happens after 5...d5.  No need...}) 8. h3 8... h5
$1 {Great move!} 9. hxg4 hxg4 10. Nh2 Qh4 11. Bf4 g3 12. Bxg3 Nxg3 13. fxg3
13... Qxh2+ {And Black is just dandy.}) 6... Nc5 7. Qe2 {
This is White's best idea, glaring at the Black King.} 7... Be7 8. O-O O-O 9.
Rd1 Qe8 10. Bf4 (10. Na3 Nb4 11. Bc4 d3) 10... b6 11. Bxc6 11... d3 $1 {
The pawn is probably lost, so Black gives it up in a way which is awkward for
White.}) 5... Nxe4 {5...Nxe4 is a little risky for the moment but soon gets
simpler.  Try this one first in your games!  T Taking the important e-Pawn
gives White something to think about, and removes the threat of e4-e5.  But I
have known junior players quickly lose a piece here as Black.} (5... Bc5 {
5...Bc5 is safest for the moment but gets very complicated as the opening
continues.}) 6. Re1 {The Knight on e4 is under attack.  Worse, the Knight
cannot dodge out of the way because it is pinned against the King!  So how
does Black get out of this?} 6... d5 {
That move solves Black's problems in a lot of lines!} 7. Bxd5 (7. Nc3 dxc3 (
7... dxc4) 8. Bxd5 Be6 (8... Bf5 9. Bxe4 Bxe4 10. Rxe4+ 10... Be7 $11) 9. Bxe4
Bb4 10. b3 Qxd1 11. Rxd1 Rd8 12. Be3 12... a6 {Black has an extra pawn which
is hard to keep and harder to make use of.  The storm has blown itself out,
and the game is about equal.}) 7... Qxd5 8. Nc3 $1 {Another surprising Knight
move, which regains the piece by the attack on e4.  This is a terribly
well-analysed position, so I can only give you an example.  One line goes:}
8... Qa5 (8... Qh5 $5 {is also fine}) 9. Nxe4 Be6 10. Neg5 (10. Bd2) 10...
O-O-O 11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. Rxe6 Bd6 13. Qe2 Qh5 14. h3 Rde8 15. Bd2 Ne5 *

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Ruy Lopez"]
[Black "Some first ideas"]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C63"]
[Annotator "Regis,Dave"]
[PlyCount "72"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 $5 {Schliemann Gambit: risky but a great way to
play for a win! I expect that White should be able to find an advantage
against the Schliemann if they play perfectly. So if you start meeting players
who play perfectly, then you will have to give it up... but until then, keep
having fun with it! White has four choices: 4.d4, 4.exf5, 4. d3 and 4.Nc3} (
3... a6 {The main lines start with this move. If you aim for the Marshall
Attack there are lots of ways for White to slide o ut of your variation.} 4.
Ba4 {. .} (4. Bxc6 {The Exchange Variation, popular at a ll levels. .} dxc6)
4... Nf6 5. O-O (5. Qe2 {A version of the Worrall Attack.}) (5. d3 {The old
Anderssen-Steinitz line.}) 5... Be7 6. Re1 (6. Bxc6 {Some players th ink that
now is an even better time to take the Knight -- Black has made some mo ves
that you might not want to make in the Exchange Variation.}) 6... b5 7. Bb3 O-O
8. c3 (8. a4 {Now Black has delayed ...d6, White prefers to avoid the Marshall.
}) 8... d5 {So, here it is, the famous Marshall Gambit! I learned a lot about
this mo ve when watching the Kramnik-Leko match in 2004, and I think it's a
fine idea fo r club players, if your opponents will let you play it! You can
spend a lot of time learning lines that you never get to play.,, So, here it
is, the famous Marshall Gambit! I learned a lot about this mo ve when watching
theKramnik-Leko match in 2004, and I think it's a fine idea fo r club players,
if your opponents will let you play it! You can spend a lot of time learning
lines that you never get to play.,,} 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 {
Now ...Bd6 is on its way, and Black can move the Queen over towards White's
King. How good are you at defending? World Champion Vladimir Kramnik wasn't
good enough!} 12. d4 Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Re4 g5 16. Qf1 Qh5 17. Nd2
Bf5 18. f3 Nf6 19. Re1 Rae8 20. Rxe8 Rxe8 21. a4 Qg6 22. axb5 Bd3 23. Qf2 Re2
24. Qxe2 Bxe2 25. bxa6 Qd3 26. Kf2 Bxf3 27. Nxf3 Ne4+ 28. Ke1 Nxc3 29. bxc3
Qxc3+ 30. Kf2 Qxa1 31. a7 h6 32. h4 g4 {0-1 Kramnik,V-Leko,P/WCh 2004}) (3...
Nf6 {Classical Berlin: less risky, but fewer chances to win.} 4. O-O (4. d3 Bc5
5. O-O d6 {fails to make much of an impression after fails to make much of an
impression after} 6. Nc3 (6. c3 {is perfect ly reasonable too, and indeed
worked well in the super -GM clash Hracek, Z-Kramnik,V/Eurotel Cup, Prague
2002, published in full on our Internet site.} O-O 7. Nbd2 a6 8. Bxc6 bxc6 9.
Nc4 h6 10. b4 Ba7) 6... Bg4 7. Na4 Nd7 $6 8. Nxc5 Nxc5 9. Be3 Qf6 10. Bxc6+
bxc6) 4... Bc5 5. c3 (5. Nxe5 Nxe5 {after which} 6. d4 a6 7. Be2 {If} (7. Ba4 {
If} b5 $1 8. Bb3 Bxd4 9. Qxd4 d6 {is fine for Black pro duces a well-known
position in which Black's activity and threats such as ...c5- c4 fully
compensate him for missing a dark-squared bishop}) 7... Nxe4 8. dxc5 Nxc5 9.
Qd4 d6 10. f4 Ng6 (10... Ne6)) 5... O-O 6. d4 Bb6 7. Bg5 (7. Re1 d6 8. a4 {
is a ma jor alternative that leads us to:} (8. h3 {is a major alternative that
leads us to:} h6 9. Be3 Bd7 (9... Nxe4 $4 10. d5 $1 Ne7) 10. Ba4 {White was
setting the t rap} Re8 {(White wants to have his light-squared bishop
protected (by the queen) instead of remaining loose on b5.)}) (8. Bxc6 {
is a major alternative that lead s us to:} bxc6 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Qxd8 Rxd8)
8... a5 9. h3 h6 10. Bxc6 bxc6) (7. dxe5 Nxe4) 7... h6 (7... d6) 8. Bh4 (8.
Bxf6 Qxf6 9. Bxc6 Qxc6 {, then after} 10. Nxe5 {White's "threat " of} Qxe4 {
is nullified by}) 8... d6 9. Bxc6 (9. Nbd2 exd4 10. Bxc6 dxc3 $17) 9... bxc6
10. dxe5 dxe5) (3... Nge7) 4. Nc3 {The main line and the best move. Both sides
need to be careful!} (4. d4 {White has to make a difficult decision after this
move.} fxe4 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 6. dxe5 c6 $1 {Now ...Qa5+ will win the e-pawn or the
Bishop -- White must sacrifice one or the other!} 7. Nc3 cxb5 8. Nxe4 d5 9.
exd6 Nf6 10. Qd4 $44) (4. exf5 {Beginners often take any pawn that isn't
defended, while some club players never take a pawn that is offered. Neither
approach is always right, but White gets nothing from taking this pawn.} e4 5.
Qe2 Qe7 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. Nd4 Qe5 8. Nf3 Qxf5 {This move keeps the gambit going;
8...Qe7 is equal.} (8... Qe7) 9. Nc3 Nf6 10. d3 Bb4 11. Nd2 O-O 12. Ndxe4 Qg6
13. O-O Bh3 14. f3 {Black has activity for the pawn} Rae8) (4. d3 {Solid but
no way to refute Black's idea.} fxe4 5. dxe4 Nf6 6. O-O Bc5 7. Nc3 d6 8. Be3
Bb6 9. Nd5 O-O 10. Bg5 Be6 11. Qd3 Kh8 12. Bxf6 gxf6 13. Nh4 Nd4 $13) 4... fxe4
5. Nxe4 Nf6 (5... d5 6. Nxe5 (6. Ng3 Bg4 {turned out to be extremely dangerous
for Black afte r after which} 7. h3 {is better, intending is best intending ...
Qd6 followed b y ...0-0-0} Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Nf6 {, or 8...Qd6 followed by ...0-0-0}
) 6... dxe4 7. Nxc6 Qg5 8. Qe2 Nf6 (8... Qxg2 9. Qh5+ {, then a plausible and
pretty line is} g6 10. Qe5+ Kf7) 9. f4 Qxf4 10. d4 (10. Ne5+ c6 11. d4 Qh4+ 12.
g3 Qh3 13. Bc4 Be6 14. Bg5 (14. Bf4) 14... O-O-O 15. O-O-O Bd6 16. Kb1 Rhf8 17.
Rhf1 Kb8) (10. Nxa7+ Bd7 11. Bxd7+ Nxd7 12. Nb5 O-O-O 13. d4 Qf6 14. Be3 c6 15.
Nc3 Bb4) 10... Qh4+ $1 (10... Qd6) 11. g3 Qh3 12. Nxa7+ (12. Ne5+) (12. Bg5)
12... Bd7 13. Bxd7+ Qxd7 14. Nb5 c6 15. Nc3 Bb4 16. Be3 O-O) 6. Qe2 (6. Nxf6+
Qxf6 7. Qe2 (7. O-O Nd4 (7... Be7 8. Bxc6 bxc6 (8... dxc6 9. Qe1 O-O 10. d3 $1
(10. Nxe5 Bd6) (10. Qxe5 Bg4)))) 7... Be7 8. Bxc6 dxc6 (8... bxc6 9. Nxe5 (9.
Qxe5 d6 10. Qxf6 Bxf6 11. d4 Rb8) 9... Bb7 (9... Qe6) 10. d3 O-O-O {is an
approach endorsed by AlphaZero}) 9. Nxe5 Bf5 10. d3 O-O 11. Bd2 Rae8 12. f4 Bd6
13. O-O {Now you just win your pawn back on e5, with an equal game.}) 6... d5
7. Nxf6+ (7. Nxe5 dxe4 8. Nxc6 (8. Qc4 Qd6 9. Nxc6 a6) 8... bxc6 9. Bxc6+ Bd7
10. Bxa8 Qxa8 11. d3 Bb4+ (11... Bd6) 12. c3 Bc5 13. f3 O-O (13... a5) 14. dxe4
Nxe4 (14... Bd6) 15. fxe4 Bf2+ 16. Kd1 Bb6 17. Bd2 Be6 18. Rf1 Rxf1+ 19. Qxf1
Qxe4 20. h3 (20. b3) 20... Qa4+ {1-0 (39) Haver,B (2070)-Pruijssers,R (2526)
Hilversum 2014} (20... Bf7 $1)) 7... gxf6 8. d4 (8. O-O Qe7 9. d4 e4) 8... Bg7
9. dxe5 O-O $1 10. Bxc6 bxc6 11. e6 Re8 12. O-O c5 $1 (12... Rxe6 13. Qd3 c5 {
Black has space and activity to make up for the missing g-pawn.}) 13. Qb5 (13.
Nh4 Bxe6) (13. Rd1 Qd6) (13. Bf4 Bxe6) 13... Bf8 14. Be3 Rxe6 15. Rfd1 (15.
Bxc5 Ba6) 15... c6 16. Qa4 Qe8 17. c3 a5 18. Re1 Re4 19. Qa3 Bg4 $1 20. Nd2 Re6
21. Qa4 Qg6 $1 22. Nf1 h5 $1 23. Bf4 Rae8 $1 24. Rxe6 Rxe6 25. Bg3 $1 Be2 26.
Qxa5 Qc2 27. Qb6 Bb5 $1 28. c4 $2 Qxc4 $2 (28... Qxb2 $1 29. cxb5 Qxa1 30. bxc6
Re1 31. Qb5 Qd4 32. c7 c4 33. Qa5 (33. c8=Q Rxf1+ 34. Kxf1 Qd1#) 33... c3 34.
Qa6 c2 35. c8=Q c1=Q 36. Qxc1 Rxc1 37. Qe6+ Kg7 38. Qd7+ Kh6 $19 {Tay}) 29. h4
Qc2 30. a4 Qxb2 31. Rd1 Qc2 32. Rxd5 Qb1 33. axb5 Re1 34. Kh2 Rxf1 35. Bd6 Rh1+
36. Kg3 Qb3+ {0-1 (36) Mista,A (2565)-Azarov,S (2601) Czechia 2011} *

[Event "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Scotch and Four Knights'"]
[Black "1."]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[Annotator "DrDave"]
[PlyCount "28"]

1. e4 {The most common opening move!} e5 {The classical reply, recommended for
j uniors and grandmasters... I am sure this is a good way to play, but it's
been explored a lot over the years, and there are very many paths in the
forest, whic h White may know better than you.} 2. Nf3 {Heading for the
Italian and Spanish O penings.} Nc6 3. d4 {Th e Scotch Game, a fine opening
for White.} (3. Nc3 {Heading for the Four Knights' Game, and there is no
reason to avoid this.} Nf6 4. Bb5 {Four Knights' Game. It's hard to make
trouble for your opponent by just moving the pieces; grandmasters have more or
less given up on this opening as a way to get an advantage. That doesn't mean
you can stop thinking!} (4. d4 {Scotch Four Knights' Game.} exd4 5. Nxd4 {
There is a big bunch of theory after 5...Nf6, which you can also get into from
the Scotch Game after 3.d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3. But White has another line
here: 5.Nxc6 bxc6 6.e5 which is very sharp and difficult, and you might want
to avoid.} (5. Nd5 $5 {This is the Belgrade Gambit} Nb4 $1 {This is the
simplest way to equalise.} 6. Bc4 (6. Nxd4 Nbxd5 (6... Nxe4 $5)) 6... Nbxd5)
5... Bc5 {is not bad and unusual: maybe try it!} (5... Bb4 {is a very
well-known line} 6. Nxc6 bxc6 7. Bd3 d5 8. exd5 cxd5 9. O-O O-O 10. Bg5 c6 11.
Na4 {[%csl Gc6]} (11. Qf3 Be7 $1 {is safe and equal.}) 11... h6 12. Bh4 Re8 13.
c4 Bd6 14. cxd5 cxd5 15. Nc3 Be5) 6. Nxc6 (6. Be3 {(threatening Nxc6 winning a
piece)} Bb6 7. Nxc6 (7. g3 O-O 8. Bg2 d6 9. h3 Re8 10. O-O Bd7 11. Re1 h6) (7.
Be2 O-O 8. O-O Re8 $11) 7... bxc6 8. e5 Bxe3 9. fxe3 Nd5 10. Nxd5 cxd5 11. Qxd5
Qh4+ 12. Kd1 Rb8 13. Bc4 O-O 14. b3 $14 {ECO} Bb7 $11 {DR}) 6... bxc6 7. Bd3 d6
8. O-O Nd7 9. Be2 O-O 10. Na4 $14) ({I've had to add a note about the
Halloween Gambit:} 4. Nxe5 Nxe5 5. d4 Nc6 (5... Ng6 6. e5 Ng8 7. Bc4 {and Qf3
is coming.. .} d5 (7... Bb4) 8. Bxd5 c6 9. Bb3 Be6 $1) 6. d5 {White is hoping
for} Ne5 $2 (6... Bb4 $1 7. dxc6 Nxe4 8. Qd4 Qe7 {is much more sensible} 9.
Qxg7 $6 (9. Be3) 9... Nxc3+ 10. Be3 Nd5+ 11. c3 Rf8 12. cxb4 Nxe3 13. fxe3
Qxb4+ {and Black is 'close to winning' (Pinski)}) 7. f4 $1 Ng6 8. e5 Ng8 9. d6
$5 cxd6 10. exd6 {And White is having all sorts of fun ideas, like Nb5 and
Qe2+. Black may still be better in theory, but in practice this is tough to
defend.} Qa5) 4... Nd4 $1 {Rubinstein's Variation, a good way to try and get
some winning chances. Black can try to make the game interesting and
unbalanced by playing this gambit, but if White wants to play safe, it still
fizzles out. Some sample lines:} (4... Bc5 $5 {Another way of avoiding the
main lines that you can look at one day.}) 5. Ba4 (5. Nxe5 Qe7 6. f4 Nxb5 7.
Nxb5 d6 8. Nf3 (8. Nd3 $4 Bg4) 8... c6 9. Nc3 Nxe4 10. O-O Nxc3 11. bxc3 Qf6
12. Re1+ Be7 {and as usual, White might miss having the two Bishops.}) (5. Bc4
Bc5 (5... Nxf3+ 6. Qxf3 d6) 6. Nxe5 Qe7 (6... d5 $5 {Might be worth a look.})
7. Nf3 d5 8. Nxd5 Qxe4+ 9. Ne3 Bg4 10. Be2 Nxe2 11. Qxe2 O-O-O 12. d3 Qe6 13.
Ng5 Qc6 {Black's development is worth a p awn.}) (5. O-O Nxb5 6. Nxb5 c6 7. Nc3
d6 8. d4 Qc7 {OK, not very exciting, but the two Bishops are worth something.})
(5. Nxd4 {Well, we tried to be interesting, but White won't let us.} exd4 6. e5
dxc3 7. exf6 Qxf6 8. dxc3 Qe5+ 9. Be2 (9. Qe2 Qxe2+ 10. Bxe2 Bc5 11. O-O d6)
9... Bc5 10. O-O O-O) 5... c6 $5 {A more recent try.} (5... Bc5 {The old move.}
6. Nxe5 O-O 7. Nd3 Bb6 8. e5 Ne8 {and the old line is} 9. O-O (9. Nd5 {was the
big idea in the 1990s} d6 10. Ne3 c5 $5 {is the latest thinking for Black} 11.
c3 Nf5 12. exd6 Qxd6 13. Bc2 Nf6 14. O-O Bc7 15. g3 b5 16. Nf4 Nh4 17. d4 Bb7
18. d5 Rad8 19. a4 Qd7 20. gxh4 Bxf4 21. Qf3 Qc7 22. Rd1 Bxh2+ 23. Kf1 a6 24.
axb5 axb5 25. Ng4 Nxg4 26. Qxg4 Bxd5 27. Bxh7+ Kxh7 28. Rxd5 Qc6 29. Qh5+ Kg8
30. Rxd8 Qh1+ 31. Ke2 Rxd8 {0-1 (31) Acs,P (2591) -Khalifman,A (2690)
Hoogeveen 2002]}) 9... d6 10. exd6 Nf6 $1) 6. d3 (6. O-O Qa5 $1 7. Re1 d6 8. h3
Be7 9. a3 O-O 10. b4 Qc7) (6. Nxe5 d6 (6... d5 $5 {Not often played, but looks
worth a try.}) 7. Nf3 Bg4 8. d3 d5 $1 $11) 6... b5 7. Bb3 Nxb3 8. axb3 d6 9.
O-O (9. Ne2 Bg4 10. Ng3 Nh5) 9... Be7 10. Ne2 Bg4 11. Ng3 (11. Re1 Bxf3 12.
gxf3 Qd7 13. d4 Qh3 14. Qd3 O-O 15. Ng3 g6) 11... Nh5 {Scotch and Four
Knights'-Ideas for Black Exeter [DrDave]}) 3... exd4 4. Nxd4 {Scotch Game.
Most people who play the Scotch eventually give it up becaus e of this line:} (
4. c3 {Goring Gambit.} d5 {- see the Danish Gambit section}) (4. Bc4 {T he
Scotch Gambit.} Nf6 {returns us to part D of The Two Knights' Defence}) 4...
Bc5 $1 {With a split:} (4... Nf6 5. Nc3 (5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5)) 5. Be3 {[%csl
Gc6] (threatening Nxc6 winning a piece)} ({Bishop-bothering variation:} 5. Nb3
Bb6 6. a4 a6 7. Nc3 d6 8. Nd5 Ba7 9. Be3 Bxe3 10. Nxe3 Nf6 11. Bd3 O-O 12. O-O
Re8 13. f3 Be6 14. c4 a5 15. Rf2 b6) ({Pawn-bothering variation} 5. Nf5 d5 6.
Nxg7+ Kf8 7. Nh5 Qh4 8. Ng3 Nf6 9. Be2 dxe4 10. O-O h5 $44 {Black has lots of
activity}) ({Knight swap variation.} 5. Nxc6 Qf6 $1 {[%csl Gf2]} 6. Qd2 (6. Qf3
bxc6 $11 7. Nc3 (7. Nd2 d6 8. Nb3 Bb6 9. a4 a5 10. Bd2 Qxf3 11. gxf3 Ne7 12.
Rg1 O-O 13. Be3 Bxe3 14. fxe3 c5 (14... f5)) 7... Qxf3 8. gxf3 Ne7 9. Be3 Bb6
10. O-O-O d6) 6... dxc6 7. Nc3 Be6 8. Na4 Rd8 9. Bd3 Bd4 10. O-O Ne7 11. c3 b5
12. cxd4 Qxd4 {[%csl Ga4,Gd3]}) 5... Qf6 (5... Nf6 $4 6. Nxc6 $18) 6. c3 Nge7
7. Bc4 $5 (7. g3 {(slow)} d5 8. Bg2 Bxd4 9. cxd4 dxe4 10. Nc3 Bf5 11. Nxe4 Bxe4
12. Bxe4 O-O-O {White had to spend one more Pawn move to get the Bishop to the
long diagonal, and that has allowed Black to get sorted. White has two Bishops
but an isolated pawn: it's about equal.}) (7. Be2 d5) (7. Bb5 a6) 7... Ne5 8.
Be2 Qg6 {[%csl Ge4,Gg2]} 9. O-O d6 {Black doesn't grab straight away.
Sometimes White plays Bh5 to try and force the Queen to take the e-pawn!} 10.
f4 (10. f3 d5 (10... O-O)) 10... Qxe4 11. Bf2 Bxd4 12. cxd4 N5g6 {Chess is all
about making judgements: is Black's extra Pawn worth letting White have faster
development and extra central control?} 13. g3 Bh3 14. Bf3 Qf5 *

[Event "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "c3 Openings"]
[Black "1."]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[PlyCount "22"]

1. e4 {The most common opening move!} e5 {The classical reply, recommended for
j uniors and grandmasters... I am sure this is a good way to play, but it's
been explored a lot over the years, and there are very many paths in the
forest, whic h White may know better than you.} 2. Nf3 {Heading for the
Italian and Spanish O penings.} (2. c3 d5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. exd5 {This slides into
the Goring Gambit Declined.} (4. Bb5) (4. Qa4) 4... Qxd5 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bg4
{- see the Danish Gambit section}) 2... Nc6 3. c3 {The Ponziani Opening, not
crucial b ut a sound idea. White quite properly tries to take over the centre,
but without trying to control Black's centre first. 3...d5 4.Qa4 is sharp In
fact there are lots of sharp lines in the Ponziani if you want them! We
suggest some safer lines, as we don't think you will get a chance to revise
playing against this rare opening very often.} (3. d4 exd4 4. c3 d5) 3... Nf6 {
This is not so sharp and an easier move to have in mind.} (3... d5 {You might
hope to slide into your line against the Goring Gambit this way, but I expect
White won't play 4.exd5. You will have to play a sharp line that you might not
remember verywell!} 4. exd5 {- see the Danish Gambit section} (4. Bb5 $5) (4.
Qa4 $5 {[%csl Ge5]})) 4. d4 {Only this move is a challenge.} exd4 {This move
has been recently recommended by John Emms.} (4... Nxe4 {The natural mo ve:
grab a central pawn.} 5. d5 Ne7 6. Nxe5 Ng6 7. Qd4 Qe7 8. Qxe4 Qxe5 9. Qxe5+
Nxe5 10. Bf4 (10. Nd2 $10) 10... Bd6 11. Nd2 O-O (11... Nf3+ 12. Nxf3 Bxf4 13.
g3 Bh6 14. Nd4 d6 15. Bb5+ Bd7 16. f4 Bxb5 17. Nxb5 Kd7 18. O-O-O g6 $10) 12.
O-O-O b6) 5. e5 Ne4 6. Qe2 f5 7. exf6 d5 8. Nbd2 $1 (8. fxg7 $6 Bxg7 9. Nxd4
O-O 10. Be3 Nxd4 11. cxd4 Nxf2 $1 12. Bxf2 Re8 13. Be3 Bh6) 8... d3 $5 (8...
Qxf6 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Qxe4+ Qe6 11. Bd3 dxc3 12. O-O Qxe4 13. Bxe4 Bd7 $11) 9.
Qe3 (9. Qxd3 Nxf6) 9... Bc5 10. Nd4 Bxd4 11. cxd4 O-O {Don't count the pawns,
count how many moves it will take for White to complete development!} *

[Event "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "King's Gambit"]
[Black "1."]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[Annotator "Regis,Dave"]
[PlyCount "26"]

1. e4 {The most common opening move!} e5 {The classical reply, recommended for
juniors and grandmasters... I am sure this is a good way to play, but it's
been explored a lot over the years, and there are very many paths in the
forest, which White may know better than you.} 2. f4 {The King's Gambit.} exf4
(2... Bc5 {The Gambit Declined} 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 (4. c3 Bb6 $1 (4... Nf6 5. d4
exd4 6. cxd4 Bb6 7. Be3 Bg4 8. Nc3 Nxe4 (8... Nc6 9. Be2 Qe7 10. e5 dxe5 11.
fxe5 O-O-O 12. Qd3 Nd5 13. Nxd5 Rxd5 14. Qe4 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Qb4+ 16. Kf2 Rxd4
17. Bxd4 Bxd4+ 18. Kg3 Kb8 19. Rac1 Bxe5+ $15)) 5. Na3 (5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bg4
(6... Nf6) 7. Be3 Nf6 8. Nc3 Nxe4 $5 9. Nxe4 Qe7 10. Qd3 Bf5 11. Qb5+ Bd7 12.
Qd5 Bc6 13. Bb5 O-O 14. Bxc6 bxc6 15. Qf5 g6 16. Nf6+ Kh8 17. Qe4 Qxf6 $11)
5... Nf6 6. d3 (6. fxe5 dxe5 7. Nc4 Nxe4) 6... Ng4 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 d5 9. e5
Nh6 10. Nc2 O-O 11. Bd3 Nc6 $1 12. O-O Bg4 13. Be3 Nf5 14. Bf2 Bxf3 15. Qxf3
Nfxd4 16. Nxd4 Nxd4 17. Bxh7+ Kxh7 18. Qd3+ Kg8 19. Bxd4 c5 $11) 4... Nf6 5.
Bc4 Nc6 6. d3 Bg4 (6... a6 7. Nd5) 7. Na4 (7. h3 Bxf3 8. Qxf3 Nd4 9. Qg3 O-O $1
10. fxe5 dxe5 11. Kd1 b5 12. Bh6 (12. Bb3) 12... Nh5 13. Qxe5 bxc4 14. Qxc5
gxh6 15. Qxh5 Nxc2 $1 16. Kxc2 Qxd3+ 17. Kc1 Qe3+ $11) 7... O-O (7... Bb6 8.
Nxb6 axb6 9. c3 exf4 10. Bxf4 O-O 11. O-O d5 {0-1 (33) Axelrod,A (2275)
-Mikhalevski,A (2410) Ashdod 2004}) 8. Nxc5 dxc5 9. O-O Qd6 (9... Nh5 $5 10. f5
$1) 10. Qd2 (10. h3 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 b5 12. Bb3 c4 13. dxc4 bxc4 14. Ba4 Nd4) (10.
f5 Nd4) 10... Bxf3 11. gxf3 exf4 (11... Rad8 12. Kh1) 12. Qxf4 Ne5 13. Bb3 b5
14. Be3 Qe7) 3. Nf3 (3. d4 $2 {This is the move that White wants to play, but
right now it's terrible.} Qh4+ $1 4. Ke2 (4. g3 $2 fxg3 5. Nf3 g2+ 6. Nxh4
gxh1=Q $19)) 3... Be7 {Cunningham's Defence. Not a refutation, but White needs
to be careful.} (3... g5 4. h4 (4. Bc4 Bg7 5. O-O d6) 4... g4 5. Ne5 Nf6 6. Bc4
d5 7. exd5 Bd6 8. d4 Nh5 9. O-O O-O 10. Rxf4 Nxf4 11. Bxf4) (3... d6 4. d4 (4.
Bc4 h6 5. d4 g5 6. O-O Bg7) 4... g5 5. h4 g4 6. Ng1 Qf6 (6... f5)) 4. Bc4 $1 (
4. Nc3 $5 Nf6 {This gives about an equal game.} (4... Bh4+ {If this is not
right, then the original idea of the defence is not correct. But some recent
games suggest White may be able to fiddle an advantage here, if only a small
one.} 5. Ke2 d5 $6 {I like the attitude but probably not best.} (5... c6 6. d4
d5 7. Qd2 $5 (7. Bxf4 Bg4 8. Qd3 Ne7 9. g3 Ng6 10. Bxb8 Rxb8 11. Kf2 Bf6 $10)
7... dxe4 8. Nxe4 Be7) 6. Nxd5 Nf6 7. Nxf6+ Qxf6 8. d4 Bg4 9. Qd2 Nc6 10. c3 g5
11. Kd1 O-O-O 12. Kc2 Rhe8 13. Nxh4 Rxe4 $1 $17) 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 (6. exd5 $5
Nxd5 7. Bc4 (7. Bd3 Nc6 8. O-O Bg4 $11 9. Be4 Ne3 10. Bxe3 fxe3 11. Qd3 Bxf3
12. Bxf3 O-O 13. Nd5 Bg5 14. c3 Qd7 $11) 7... Be6 8. Qe2 (8. Bxd5 Bxd5 9. Bxf4
O-O $1 $11) 8... Nxc3 9. bxc3 Bxc4 10. Qxc4 Bh4+ 11. Kd1 O-O 12. Bxf4 Nc6 $11
13. Qb5 Qc8 $11) 6... dxe4 7. Nxe4 Nxe4 8. Bxe4 Bd6 9. O-O Nd7 10. Qd3 h6 11.
c4 c6 $1 $15) 4... Nf6 $1 {Now White has a spot for the King on f1, ... Bh4+
doesn't have so much point, but is still an OK move . I like this line, as
White has some natural moves that aren't very good.} (4... Bh4+ 5. Kf1 d5 6.
Bxd5) 5. e5 $1 (5. d3 $6 d5) (5. Nc3 $6 Nxe4 $1 {You sho uld know this trick
by now!}) 5... Ng4 6. d4 $1 (6. O-O O-O $5 (6... d5 7. exd6 Qxd6 (7... Bxd6) 8.
Nc3 O-O 9. d4 c6 (9... Qh6 $5) (9... Be6 10. Ne4 Qb6 11. Qd3) 10. h3 Ne3 11.
Bxe3 fxe3 12. Ne5 Be6 (12... Bh4 $2 13. Rxf7 Be6 14. Ne4 Bf2+ 15. Kh2 Qxe5+ 16.
dxe5 Bxf7 17. e6 {1-0 (17) Hebden,M (2475)-Fassaert,D Guernsey 1988}) 13. Ne4
e2 $1 (13... Qb4 14. Bxe6 e2 15. Qxe2 $2 (15. Bxf7+ $1 Rxf7 16. Qxe2 Qxd4+ 17.
Nf2 $16) 15... Qxd4+ 16. Kh1 Qxe5 17. Bxf7+ Rxf7 18. Rxf7 Kxf7 19. Qc4+ Qd5 {
0-1 (19) Schemmann,B (2250)-McIntosh,I (2165) ICCF email 1997}) 14. Bxe2 Qc7
$13) 7. h3 $6 (7. d4 d5 8. exd6 Bxd6 $1) 7... d5 $1 8. Bb3 (8. exd6 Qxd6 {
Threat ...Qc5+ and ...Qxc4.}) 8... c5 $3 {gave Black powerful counterplay in
Holmes,D-Motwani,P/Edinburgh 1994 (20).} 9. c3 (9. hxg4 c4 10. Ba4 b5 11. Bxb5
Qb6+ 12. Kh1 Qxb5 $17) 9... c4 10. hxg4 cxb3 11. Qxb3 d4 $1 12. Nxd4 (12. d3
Nc6 13. c4 g5 $1 $17) 12... Bc5 13. Rxf4 Nc6 14. Qc4 Nxe5 15. Qxc5 Nd3) (6. Nc3
d6 $1 (6... d5 $2 7. Bxd5 $1) 7. d4 dxe5 8. dxe5 Qxd1+ 9. Kxd1 Be6 $10) (6. h3
$2 Bh4+ 7. Ke2 Nf2 8. Qe1 Nxh1 9. Qxh4 Ng3+) 6... d5 (6... Bh4+ 7. Kf1 Ne3+ 8.
Bxe3 fxe3 9. Qd3 O-O 10. Nc3 d6 11. Qxe3 Nc6 12. Qe4 Be7 13. h4) 7. exd6 (7.
Bb3 Ne3 8. Bxe3 fxe3 9. O-O Be6 10. Qd3 c6 11. Qxe3 $14 {Black is doing OK
here, alt hough White probably has a small advantage.}) 7... Qxd6 (7... Bxd6 8.
Qe2+ $1) 8. Nc3 $15 Be6 (8... O-O 9. O-O Be6 (9... c6)) 9. Bd3 $13 {At some
point ...Ne3+ is likely to give Black the two Bishops.} Ne3 (9... Nc6 10. Nb5
Qd7 11. Bxf4 Rc8 $11 {0-1 (49) Borwell,A-Pyrich,G ICCF corr 1994 Corr Nr. 1 
[Pyrich]}) 10. Qe2 Nc6 11. Bxe3 fxe3 12. O-O-O Nb4 13. Rhe1 O-O-O $11 *

[Event "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Sister openings"]
[Black "1."]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[PlyCount "32"]

1. e4 e5 {The Vienna Game and Bishop's Opening share some ideas: White
develops quickly but leaves the King's Knight at home for the while. This
means that there is less pressure on Black's centre, but also that White
leaves the f-pawn free to advance. You often hop from one to the other. In
fact, when White plays f2-f4, you can end up in a form of King's Gambit, their
big sister.} 2. Nc3 {The Vienna Game and Gambit.} (2. Bc4 {Bishop's Opening,
used by many White players to avoid Petroff's Defence} Nf6 3. d3 (3. d4 exd4 4.
Nf3 Nc6 {simply leads to the Two Knights' Defence} (4... Nxe4 5. Qxd4 {is the
dangerous Urusoff Gambit} Nf6 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Nc3 c6 8. O-O-O d5 9. Rhe1 Be6 {
leads to a strong attacking game for White.})) 3... Nc6 4. Nc3 (4. Nf3 {simply
leads to the Two Knights' Defence (B)}) (4. f4 {[%csl Gd3] is the only attempt
to be original, but is a poor version of the King's Gambit where White has
been committed to d2-d3. One line might go:} exf4 5. e5 (5. Bxf4 d5 $1) 5... d5
$1 6. exf6 dxc4 7. fxg7 Bxg7 8. Bxf4 cxd3 9. cxd3 Qe7+ 10. Ne2 Bxb2)) 2... Nf6
3. Bc4 (3. f4 d5 $1 (3... exf4 4. e5 $1 Ng8) 4. fxe5 (4. exd5 exf4 (4... Nxd5
5. fxe5 (5. Nxd5 Qxd5 6. fxe5))) 4... Nxe4 5. d3 ({Natural development by} 5.
Nf3 Bc5 $1 (5... Be7 6. d4 O-O 7. Bd3 f5 8. exf6 Bxf6 9. O-O Nc6 10. Nxe4 dxe4
11. Bxe4 Nxd4 $11) 6. d4 (6. Qe2 Bf2+ 7. Kd1 Nxc3+ 8. bxc3 (8. dxc3 Bb6 (8...
Bh4) 9. Bg5 Qd7 10. Kd2 h6 11. Be3 (11. Bh4 Qa4 12. Qb5+ Qxb5 13. Bxb5+ c6 14.
Bd3 O-O 15. Nd4 Nd7) 11... O-O 12. Rd1 $13 Qa4 13. a3 c5 14. Kc1 Be6)) 6... Bb4
7. Bd2 Bg4 8. Nxe4 dxe4 9. Bxb4 exf3 10. Qd2 (10. gxf3 Qh4+ 11. Ke2 Nc6 $1 $15)
10... Nc6 11. Bc3 Qd5 12. h3 Be6 13. gxf3 O-O-O $15) (5. Qf3 Nc6 6. Nxe4 (6.
Bb5 Nxc3 7. bxc3 Qh4+ (7... Be7 $10 {is about equal too}) 8. g3 Qe4+ 9. Qxe4
dxe4 10. Bxc6+ bxc6 11. Ne2 Ba6 $15 (11... Bh3 $15)) 6... Nd4 7. Qd3 dxe4 8.
Qxe4 Bf5 9. Qf4 Nxc2+) (5. Qe2 $6 Nc6 6. Nxe4 Nd4 7. Qe3 dxe4 8. Qxe4 Bf5 9.
Qf4 Nxc2+) 5... Nxc3 (5... Bb4 $5 {A sharp alternative} 6. dxe4 Qh4+ 7. Ke2
Bxc3 8. bxc3 Bg4+ 9. Nf3 dxe4 10. Qd4 Bh5 11. Ke3 (11. Kd2 Qg4 12. h3 Qf4+ 13.
Ke1 Qg3+ 14. Qf2 Qxf2+ 15. Kxf2 exf3 16. gxf3 Nd7 $15 {which is great, but
White can get an equal game or even a forced d raw by earlier alternatives,})
11... Bxf3 12. gxf3 (12. Bb5+ c6 13. gxf3 cxb5 14. Qxe4 Qxe4+ 15. Kxe4 Nd7 $10)
12... Qe1+ 13. Kf4 Qh4+ 14. Ke3 $10) 6. bxc3 d4 $1 (6... Be7 $11) 7. Nf3 dxc3 (
7... Nc6 $11) 8. Be2 Nc6 (8... Be7) 9. O-O Nd4 $1 10. Ng5 Bc5 11. Kh1 O-O 12.
Bh5 Be6 13. Ne4 Be7 14. Nxc3 Qd7 $10 (14... f6 $10)) (3. g3 {This line was
fashionable amongst masters a few years ago. White isn't doing much, so just
follow rules one and two: first develop:} Bc5 4. Bg2 O-O 5. d3 Re8 {Then hit
back with ...d5.} 6. Nge2 c6 7. O-O d5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. Kh1 Bg4 $11) 3... Nc6 (
3... Nxe4 {There is an exciting line} 4. Qh5 Nd6 5. Bb3 {when Black can
survive with} Be7 {but I don't think you should let White get into this line})
4. d3 Bb4 (4... Bc5 5. f4 d6 6. Nf3) 5. Nge2 (5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 (6. Bh4 $6 g5
$1 7. Bg3 d5) 6... Bxc3+ $1 7. bxc3 Qxf6 8. Ne2 d6 (8... Ne7 $5) 9. O-O g5 10.
Rb1 (10. d4 Ne7 11. Qd2 (11. f3 h5 $1) 11... Ng6 12. Rfd1 h5 13. f3 h4 $10)
10... Ne7 11. f3 h5 $1 $10) (5. Nf3 d5 6. exd5 Nxd5 7. O-O Bxc3 8. bxc3 Bg4 $1
9. Re1 O-O 10. Bd2 Re8 11. Rb1 Nb6 12. Bb3 Qf6 13. Re4 Bh5 14. Qe2 Bg6 15. Re3
Re7 {Black's extra space means the two Bishops a ren't any threat and Black
has a comfortable game.}) 5... d5 6. exd5 Nxd5 7. O-O Be6 8. Bxd5 (8. Ne4 Be7
9. N2g3 O-O 10. Qh5 $5 Nf4 $5) (8. Bb3 O-O 9. Kh1 (9. Ne4 Be7 10. N2g3 (10. f4)
)) 8... Bxd5 9. f4 O-O 10. f5 Bxc3 (10... f6 11. Ng3 (11. Nxd5 Qxd5 12. Ng3
Bc5+ 13. Kh1 Rad8 14. Ne4 Bb6 15. Bd2 Ba5 $1 $10) 11... Bf7 12. Be3 Ba5 13. Kh1
Bb6 14. Bd2 a5 15. a3 Nd4 $10) 11. bxc3 f6 12. Ng3 Re8 13. Qg4 Kh8 14. a4 Qd7
15. Ba3 Rad8 16. Rae1 e4 $5 $13 *

[Event "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Centre Game and Danish Gambit"]
[Black "1."]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[PlyCount "36"]

1. e4 {The most common opening move!} e5 {The classical reply, recommended for
j uniors and grandmasters... I am sure this is a good way to play, but it's
been explored a lot over the years, and there are very many paths in the
forest, whic h White may know better than you.} 2. d4 {The Centre Game and
Danish Gambit.} exd4 3. c3 {Danish Gambit} (3. Qxd4 {Centre Game} Nc6 4. Qe3
Nf6 {As usual, develop and play ...d5 at some point.} 5. Nc3 Be7 {[%csl Gb4]} (
5... Bb4) 6. Bd2 (6. Bc4 d6 $5 {keeps open the idea of long castling} (6... O-O
{is the older line} 7. Bd2 d6 8. O-O-O a6 9. f4 b5) 7. Bd2 Be6 8. Bxe6 fxe6 9.
f4 (9. O-O-O O-O (9... Qd7 10. Nge2 (10. f4 d5) 10... O-O) 10. Qh3 (10. f4 $5 {
Greet's idea: a dangerous weapon?} Qd7 11. Nf3 Rab8 12. h3 b5 13. g4 b4 14. Ne2
d5) 10... Qc8 11. Nge2 b5 $1) 9... d5 10. e5) 6... d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Qg3 Ncb4
9. Nxd5 Qxd5 10. Bxb4 (10. Qxg7 $6 Nxc2+ 11. Kd1 Rf8 12. Kxc2 Bf5+ 13. Kc1
O-O-O 14. Nf3 Bb4 $17) 10... Qe4+ $1 $17) 3... d5 (3... Ne7 $5 {might be even
easier:} 4. cxd4 d5 5. e5 Nf5 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Nf3 O-O 8. Bd3 Nc6 9. Ne2 f6) (3...
dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2 {[%csl Gb2,Gc4]} d5 6. Bxd5 Nf6 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qxd8
Bb4+ 9. Qd2 Bxd2+ 10. Nxd2 {[%csl Ge4,Gf2,Gg2,Gg7,Gh2,Gh7]}) 4. exd5 Qxd5 5.
Nf3 Nc6 6. cxd4 Bg4 {You can get to this position from the Goring Gambit in
the Scotch, or the Ponziani Opening.} 7. Be2 Bb4+ (7... Bxf3 8. Bxf3 Qxd4 9.
Bxc6+) 8. Nc3 (8. Bd2 Bxf3 9. Bxf3 (9. Bxb4 Bxg2) 9... Qxd4) 8... Bxf3 9. Bxf3
Qc4 $1 (9... Qxd4 $4 10. Bxc6+ $18) 10. Be3 $2 {This is well known from a
drawn Marshall-Capablanc a game, but it seems Black is better.} (10. Qb3 $6 {
White's duff pawns will give Black a plus.} Qxb3 11. axb3 Nge7 12. O-O a6 13.
Nd5 O-O-O $15) (10. Bxc6+ {Thi s is level.}) 10... Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Qxc3+ 12. Kf1
Qc4+ 13. Kg1 Nge7 14. Rc1 Qxa2 15. Ra1 Qc4 16. Rc1 {1/2-1/2
Marshall-Capablanca 1926, but...} Qb4 17. Rb1 Qd6 18. Rxb7 O-O $17 {
Bryson-Flear 1985: White is a pawn down and doesn't have much compensa tion.} *

[Event "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Site "Chess Position Trainer"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Rare Openings"]
[Black "1."]
[Result "*"]
[ECO "C57"]
[PlyCount "18"]

1. e4 {The most common opening move!} e5 {The classical reply, recommended for
j uniors and grandmasters... I am sure this is a good way to play, but it's
been explored a lot over the years, and there are very many paths in the
forest, whic h White may know better than you.} 2. Ne2 {Alapin's Opening} (2.
Bb5 {Portuguese Opening} c6 3. Ba4 Nf6 4. Qe2 (4. Nc3 Bc5 5. Nf3 b5 6. Bb3 d6
7. d3 a5 8. a4 b4 9. Ne2 O-O 10. Ng3 Nbd7 11. O-O Ba7 12. c3 bxc3 13. bxc3 d5
$10) 4... Bc5 5. Nf3 O-O (5... d5 $5 6. exd5 O-O 7. Nxe5 Re8 8. c3 Bxf2+ 9. Kf1
Bg4 10. Qxf2 Rxe5 11. Kg1 Qe7 $19 {Vescovi-Sokolov 1995}) 6. O-O d6) (2. a3 {
Andersson's Opening} Nf6 3. Nc3 Nc6) (2. d3 Nf6 3. f4 Nc6 4. Nc3 (4. Nf3 exf4
5. Bxf4 d5) 4... Bb4) (2. g3 d5) (2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 Bc5 4. d3 d6 5. Nge2 Nge7 {
[%cal Gf7f5]}) 2... Nf6 3. f4 Nxe4 4. d3 Nc5 5. fxe5 d5 6. d4 Ne6 7. Nf4 (7. c3
c5 8. Be3 Nc6 $10) 7... c5 8. Nc3 cxd4 9. Ncxd5 Nc6 $15 *

