Calabrese Countergambit

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 f5

1. Introduction

This is an agressive answer when playing the Bishop's Opening (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4), in the line of the Latvian Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5). In fact after 3.Nf3 it's one of the variations of the Latvian Gambit. With 2...f5 black is aiming to exploit white's choice to bring his bishop quickly into the game. Black seeks to play d5 and gain the centre with a tempo. But in my opinion ... it's just fun to play and mostly is will come as a big surprise for white.

2. Game analysis

Date: 2012.11.11
White: gavinw
Black: BigGStikman
WhiteElo: 1956
BlackElo: 1958
TimeControl: 1 in 3 days

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 f5

Calabrese Countergambit (C23).

3.exf5

This is one of the many possibilities white can choose from. Some other continuations are: 3.d3, 3.Bxg8 3.d4 and 3.Nc3. You rarely come to see 3.Nf3 and make a crossover to the Latvian Gambit.

3...Nf6

To keep the white Queen from h5, take controle over the centre and preparing d5. The totally wild 3...Qg5 with an atack on the f5-pawn and g2-pawn doesn't work for black.

For example:

[A] 4.Nf3 Qxf5 (if 4...Qxg2 5.Rg1 Qh3 6.Nc3 or 6.Bf7+ and white is clearly better) 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.0-0 and white is better.

[B] 4.d4 Qxf5 (If Qxg2 5.Qh5+ Kd8 6.Qf3 and white is better.) 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Nc3 and white is better.

[C] 4.g4 h5 5.d4 Qe7 6.dxe5 (6.g5 looks interesting.) Qxe5+ 7.Qe2 Qxe2+ 8.Nxe2 hxg4 and white is better.

4.d4

To consider is perhaps 4.g4 and a reversed King's Gambit is on the board. After 4...d5 5.Bb3 Bc5 (Interesting is: 5...h5 6.g5 Ne4 7.Nf3 Bc5 8.d4 exd4 9.Nxd4 Nc6 and black is slightly better.) 6.g5 Ne4 7.Qh5+ Ke7 8.Nf3 Bxf5 9.0-0 and it's about equal.

4...exd4 5.Qxd4 d5

Alternatives are: 5...Nc6 or 5...Be7, but I like my move better.

6.Bb3

Better is: 6.Qe3+ Be7 7.Bd3 0-0 8.Ne2 c5 9.Ng3 and it's about equal.

6...Nc6

An alternative is: 6...c5.

7.Ba4

Better and more interesting is: 7.Qd3 Qe7+ 8.Ne2 Bxf5 9.Qxf5 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Nxd4+ 11.Kd1 Nxf5 12.Re1+ Kd7 and it's equal.

7...Bd6

Making castling kingside possible. To consider is: 7...Bxf5.

8.Nf3 0-0

At this point I think black is better.

9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.0-0 Bxf5 11.Qa4 Qd7

An alternative is: 11...c5.

12.c3

Perhaps 12.Re1 is better, as the pawn-move is hindering the development of the Knight on b1.

12...Ng4

Perhaps 12...Bg4 is better.

13.Bg5

Not good. White underestimates black's attacking power on the kingside. Better is: 13.h3 Ne5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Re1 Rae8 16.Be3 Bxh3 17.Nd2 (Taking with 17.gxh3 Qxh3 is deadly and game over) Rf6 18.Bg5 Rg6 19.Nf3 Bf6 20.Rxe8+ Qxe8 21.Re1 Qd7 and black is better.

13...Be4

All the black pieces are aiming at the white King and just waiting for the right moment to combine forces for an attack.

14.Nbd2 Bxf3

An alternative is: 14...Rxf3.

15.Nxf3

An alternative is: 15.gxf3.

15...Rxf3 16.gxf3 Nxh2 17.Kg2 Qf5 18.f4 Nxf1 19.Qxc6 Rf8 20.Kxf1

20...Qd3+

Not good. After 20...h6 21.Bh4 Qh3+ it's game over.

21.Kg1 h6 22.Bh4 Rxf4 23.Bg3 Rg4 24.Qe8+ Kh7 25.Qh5 Rg5 26.Qd1 Qxd1+ 27.Rxd1 Bxg3 28.fxg3 Rxg3+ 29.Kf2 Rg5

30.Rd4 c5 31.Ra4 Rf5+ 32.Kg2 Rf7 33.Ra5 Rc7 34.Ra6 d4 35.cxd4 cxd4 36.b3 d3 37.Rd6 Rc2+ 38.Kf3 d2 39.Ke2 Rxa2

White resigned.

0-1

3. Summery

The whole game black had the better play. The move 2...f5 enables black to attack on the f-file and in combination with both Bishops, a Knight and Queen it can result in a strong attack on white's kingside. Calabrese Countergambit is worth playing and can give you interesting games.