King's Gambit, McDonnell Gambit
{{Use British English|date=January 2013}}
{{Infobox chess opening
|openingname = McDonnell Gambit
|image = {{Chess diagram
|
|
|rd|nd|bd|qd|kd|bd|nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd| |pd| |pd
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | |bl| |pl|pd|pd|
| | |nl| | |nl| |
|pl|pl|pl|pl| | |pl|pl
|rl| |bl|ql|kl| | |rl
|
}}
|moves=1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Nc3
|ECO=C37
|birth = McDonnell vs. La Bourdonnais, London 1834, match 3, game 1{{cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1075466 |title=McDonnell vs. La Bourdonnais, London 1834, match 3, game 1 |website=Chessgames.com }}
|nameorigin = Alexander McDonnell
|parentopening = King's Gambit
|AKA =
|
}}
The McDonnell Gambit is a chess opening gambit in the King's Gambit, Classical Variation that begins with the moves:Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 241. McDonnell Gambit.
:5. Nc3
or alternatively via the Quaade Gambit:Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 328. Quaade Gambit.Kasparov & Keene (1982), p. 289.
:5. Bc4
The opening is named after Alexander McDonnell, a 19th-century Irish chess master, who successfully introduced it in his third match with Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais. The aim is to gain a significant lead in {{chessgloss|development}} (knight, bishop, and queen) for the sacrificed knight, followed by a {{chessgloss|kingside}} attack.
The McDonnell Gambit has always been much less popular for White than the similarly motivated Muzio Gambit (4.Bc4 g4 5.0-0). Although considered obsolete by MCO,{{cite book |last=de Firmian |first=Nick |author-link=Nick de Firmian |title=Batsford's Modern Chess Openings |edition=15th |year=2008 |page=6 }} it has not been thoroughly tested.
{{algebraic notation|pos=toc}}
5...gxf3
After 5... gxf3 6. Qxf3 is usual, though the wild 6.0-0 is occasionally seen. Now 6...Bh6 (as in the McDonnell–La Bourdonnais game below) is regarded as inferior. Better options for Black are:
- 6... d5 7.Nxd5 Nc6 led to approximate {{chessgloss|equality}} in Charousek & Fahndrich – Halprin & Marco, Vienna 1897 after 8.0-0 Bd6 9.d4 Nxd5 10.Qh5 Be6 11.Bxf4 Bxf4 12.Nxf4 Bxc4 13.Qe5+ Kf8 14.Qxh8 Bxf1 15.Rxf1 Qf6 16.Qxh7 Qxf4.{{cite book |last1=Korchnoi |first1=Viktor |author-link1=Viktor Korchnoi |last2=Zak |first2=Vladimir |author-link2=Vladimir Zak |title=The King's Gambit |publisher=Macmillan Publishing Company |year=1986 |page=35 |isbn=0-02-022020-0 }}{{cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1036210 |title=Charousek & Fahndrich vs. Halprin & Marco, Vienna 1897 |website=Chessgames.com }}
- 6... d6 7.0-0 Be6 8.Nd5 c6 9.Qc3 cxd5 10.Qxh8 dxc4 11.Qxg8 Qb6+ 12.Kh1 Nc6 13.b3 Qd4 and Black is better (analysis by J. Malkin, Wiener Schachzeitung 1911).
=McDonnell vs. La Bourdonnais, London 1834=
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. Nc3 gxf3 6. Qxf3 Bh6 7. d4 Nc6 8. 0-0{{chesspunc|!}}
:Continuing his policy of development over {{chessgloss|material}}.
8... Nxd4{{chesspunc|?}} 9. Bxf7+!
{{Chess diagram small
|tleft
|
|rd| |bd|qd|kd| |nd|rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd| |bl| |pd
| | | | | | | |bd
| | | | | | | |
| | | |nd|pl|pd| |
| | |nl| | |ql| |
|pl|pl|pl| | | |pl|pl
|rl| |bl| | |rl|kl|
|Position after 9.Bxf7!
}}
{{clear}}
:A frequently seen move in the King's Gambit as it strips away a key defensive pawn.
9... Kxf7 10. Qh5+ Kg7 11. Bxf4 Bxf4 12. Rxf4 Nf6 13. Qg5+ Kf7 14. Raf1
{{Chess diagram small
|tleft
|
|rd| |bd|qd| | | |rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd| |kd| |pd
| | | | | |nd| |
| | | | | | |ql|
| | | |nd|pl|rl| |
| | |nl| | | | |
|pl|pl|pl| | | |pl|pl
| | | | | |rl|kl|
|Position after 14.Raf1
}}
{{clear}}
:McDonnell has built up a winning attack almost effortlessly.
14... Ke8 15. Rxf6 Qe7
:Looking for some {{chessgloss|counterplay}} with his queen and at the same time freeing a square for his king.
16. Nd5! Qc5
:One last try; if McDonnell is inattentive he could miss the {{chessgloss|discovered check}} 17...Nf3+! followed by 18...Nxg5 when suddenly he has a lost position.
17. Kh1! Ne6
{{Chess diagram
|
|
|rd| |bd| |kd| | |rd
|pd|pd|pd|pd| | | |pd
| | | | |nd|rl| |
| | |qd|nl| | |ql|
| | | | |pl| | |
| | | | | | | |
|pl|pl|pl| | | |pl|pl
| | | | | |rl| |kl
|Position after 17...Ne6
}}
{{clear}}
18. Rxe6+! dxe6 19. Nf6+!
:White will win the queen next move, so La Bourdonnais resigned here.
{{chessAN|1–0}}{{cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1001157 |title=McDonnell vs. Louis Charles Mahe De La Bourdonnais, London 1834 |website=Chessgames.com }}
=Maróczy vs. Chigorin, Vienna 1903=
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. Nc3 gxf3 6. Qxf3 d6! 7. d4 Be6 8. Nd5 White can try 8.d5{{chesspunc|!?}} Bc8 9.Bxf4 as in Dufresne–Anderssen, Berlin 1851 (Korchnoi).Matanović 1981 (Vol C), p. 180, n. 38. 8... c6 9. 0-0 cxd5 10. exd5 Bf5 11. Bxf4 Bg6 12. Bb5+ Nd7 13. Rae1+ Be7 14. Bxd6 Kf8? Black had a clear advantage after 14...Qb6! 15.Qa3 Qxd4 16.Rf2 Be4 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.d6 Rg8 19.Rxe4 Qxe4 20.Re2 Qxe2 21.Bxe2 Nc6 in Barth–Lenz, {{chessgloss|corr.}} 1913 (Korchnoi). 15. Rxe7 Nxe7 16. Re1 Kg7 17. Bxe7 Qa5 18. Qe2 Nf8 19. Bf6+ Kg8 20. Qe5 h6 21. Bxh8 f6 22. Qe7 Kxh8 23. Qxf6+ Kg8 24. Re7 1–0{{cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1036581 |title=Geza Maroczy vs. Mikhail Chigorin, Vienna 1903 |website=Chessgames.com }}
Alternatives to 5...gxf3
- 5...Nc6 transposes to the Hamppe–Muzio Gambit after 6.0-0, or to the Pierce Gambit after 6.d4.
- 5...d5 is also likely to lead to a transposition after 6.Bxd5 gxf3 7.Qxf3 or 6.Nxd5 gxf3 7.Qxf3.
=Marshall vs. Leonhardt, Hamburg 1911=
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Nc3 d5 6.Bxd5 gxf3 7.Qxf3 Nf6 8.Qxf4 Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.b4 a5 11.Bb2 axb4 12.Ne2 Ra6 13.Qh6 Kh8 14.Nf4 Rg8 15.Bxf7 Bf8 16.Qh5 Rg4 17.Ne6 Bg7 18.Bxf6 1–0[https://www.365chess.com/search_result.php?search=1&m=9&n=16093&wid=158056# Frank Marshall vs. Paul Saladin Leonhardt] 365chess.com
See also
References
{{reflist|30em}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book
|last1=Hooper
|first1=David
|author-link1=David Vincent Hooper
|last2=Whyld
|first2=Kenneth
|author-link2=Kenneth Whyld
|title=The Oxford Companion to Chess
|publisher=Oxford University Press
|edition=2nd
|year=1996
|orig-year=First pub. 1992
|isbn=0-19-280049-3}}
- {{cite book
|last1=Kasparov
|first1=Gary
|author-link1=Garry Kasparov
|last2=Keene
|first2=Raymond
|author-link2=Raymond Keene
|title=Batsford Chess Openings
|publisher=American Chess Promotions
|year=1982
|isbn=0-7134-2112-6}}
- {{cite book
|last=Marsh
|first=Sean
|title=The Batsford Book of Chess: From Beginner to Winner
|publisher=B.T. Batsford Ltd
|year=2014
|isbn=978-1849941648}}
- {{cite book
|editor-last=Matanović
|editor-first=Aleksandar
|editor-link=Aleksandar Matanović
|title=Encyclopaedia of Chess Openings
|publisher=Chess Informant
|location=Yugoslavia
|volume=C
|edition=2nd
|year=1981
}}