Blumenfeld Countergambit
{{Infobox chess opening
|openingname = Blumenfeld Countergambit
|image = {{Chess diagram
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|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd| |rd
|pd| | |pd| |pd|pd|pd
| | | | |pd|nd| |
| |pd|pd|pl| | | |
| | |pl| | | | |
| | | | | |nl| |
|pl|pl| | |pl|pl|pl|pl
|rl|nl|bl|ql|kl|bl| |rl
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|moves = 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.Nf3 b5
|ECO = E10
|birth =
|nameorigin = Benjamin Blumenfeld
|parentopening = Benoni Defense
|AKA =
|chessgid = 731966&move=5&moves=d4.Nf6.c4.c5.d5.e6.Nf3.b5&nodes=10703.11482.11470.95190.95191.214997.215178.731966
}}
The Blumenfeld Countergambit is a chess opening characterised by the moves 3...e6 4.Nf3 b5 in the Benoni Defense arising after:
or alternatively:
In fact, as many as 30 different move orders are possible.[http://studimonetari.org/edg/blumenfeld.html Opening Report: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 b5 (1914 games)] The Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings sorts the Blumenfeld Countergambit under code E10 (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3).
{{algebraic notation|pos=toc}}
General considerations
Black sacrifices a {{chessgloss|wing}} pawn to establish an imposing centre with pawns on c5, d5 and e6. The natural development of the bishops to b7 and d6, combined with the half-open f-file for a rook, tend to facilitate Black's play on the kingside. White, on the other hand, will typically look to counter in the centre by playing e4 at some point, while their additional queenside pawn also offers them some initiative on that side of the board.
Origin
The opening is named after the Russian master Benjamin Blumenfeld, and was later played by World Champion Alexander Alekhine.
The opening position can also be reached via the Benko Gambit (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 b5 4.Nf3 e6). Possible continuations are 5.dxe6 (Kan–Goldenov, 1946), 5.Bg5 (Vaganian–K. Grigorian, 1971), 5.e4, or 5.a4 (Rubinstein–Spielmann, 1922),{{cite book |last = Kasparov |first = Gary |author2=Raymond Keene |title = Batsford Chess Openings |publisher = B. T. Batsford, London |isbn= 0-7134-2114-2 |year = 1982}} with 5.Bg5 being most frequently seen when this gambit is employed.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- {{cite book
|author=Alterman, Boris
|title=The Alterman Gambit Guide: Black Gambits 1
|url=https://archive.org/details/thealtermangambitguide_whitegambits
|publisher=Quality Chess
|year=2011
|isbn=978-1906552541}}
- {{cite journal |last1=Landa |first1=Konstantin |title=A Simple and Effective Variation against the Terrible Blumenfeld? |journal=New in Chess Yearbook |date=2007 |issue=84 |pages=227–230}}
- {{cite book
|author=Przewoznik, Jan
|author2=Pein, Malcolm
|title=The Blumenfeld Gambit
|publisher=Pergamon Chess
|year=1991
|isbn=0-08-037132-9}}
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