Fajarowicz Gambit

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ne4

1. Introduction 
This opening is also known as the Budapest, Fajarowicz-Richter Variation (A51). Normally in the Budapest Gambit the black Knight goes to the g4-square, attacking the white pawn on e5, but in the Fajarowicz Gambit black plays 3...Ne4 and leaves the e5-pawn alone. A real gambit.

But is the position of the black Knight (on e4) a good one? In general a piece has a good position when:
[1] it controls many important squares and
[2] if it's difficult to attack the piece.

In this case, the black Knight is standing in the centre of the board; it's hindering the natural development of the white Knight on b1 and in some variations threatens the f2-square, so it complies with [1]. But can it meet requirement [2], as 4.f3 will force the Knight to move away. But does it? After 4.f3 Qh4+ 5.g3 Nxg3 the Knight has left the e4-square, but won material in the proces. And if white play first 4.Bf4 then 4...Nc6 5.f3 (the threat of 5.Qh4+ is now neutralized) Bb4+ 6.Nd2 Bxd2+ 7.Bxd2 Qh4+ and again black wins material. So to requirement [2] is also met.

We conclude with the words of Max Euwe: "The Fajarowicz-Knight creates latent threats along the a5-e1 diagonal and, in conjunction with the consequent gambit continuation d7-d6 or d7-d5, may well make white's development more difficult".

2. Game analysis

Date: 2013.05.10
White: corph
Black: BigGStikman
WhiteElo: 1926
BlackElo: 2000
TimeControl: 1 in 3 days

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5

The Budapest Gambit.

3.dxe5 Ne4

The Fajarowicz Gambit.

4.a3

Other continuations that you often see are 4.Qc2, 4.Nd2 and 4.Nf3. With 4.a3 prevents 4...Bb4+ and avoiding exchanges and threatening 5.Qc2.

4...b6

Objectively is 4...Nc6 probably most solid and is 4...d6 more gambit-style, but I like 4...b6 as white made a non-developing 4th move. And as blacks light squared bishop can be a problem for black, black 4th move aims to get is working early.

5.Qd5

This tempting move doesn't win material, and in fact gives black a the opportunity to play the totally wild 5...Bb7.

5...Bb7

An alternative is the more solid 5...Nc5. If 6.Qxa8 then 6...Bb7 7.Qxa7 Nc6 8.Qxb7 Nxb7 9.Nf3 Nc5 and we've trade a Queen for a Rook, Bishop and 2 pawns. The game at this point is about equal.

6.Qxb7 Nc6

Trapping the white Queen.

7.Qa6

Not good. Better is 7.Nc3 Nc5 8.Bg5 f6 9.exf6 exf6 10.Lxf6 Qxf6 11.Qxa8 Kf7 12.g3 Bg7 13.Qxh8 Bxh8 14.Bg2 Na5 15.Rc1 Qg6 16.Bd5+ Kf8 17.Nh3 c6 18.Nf4 Bxc3+ 19.bxc3 Qf6 20 Bf3 Nxc4 21.0-0 a5 and white is perhaps slightly better.

7...Nc5

There's simply no escape for the white Queen.

8.Qb5 a6

It's now exit for the white Queen.

9.Qxc6 dxc6

2 pieces and a pawn for a Queen (game over).

10.Nd2

Keeping the black Knight away from b3.

10...g6

An alternative is 10...Qd7 and 11...0-0-0.

11.b4 Na4

To frustrate white's development more.

12.Ngf3 Bg7 13.e4 0-0 14.Be2 Bxe5

15.Rb1

Perhaps better is 15.Nxe5 Qd4 16.Rb1 Qxe5 17.Bf3.

15...Bg7 16.Rb3 Re8

An alternative is 16...Nc3 17.Bb2 Nxe2 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Kxe2 a5.

17.0-0 Nc3 18.Re1 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 Rxe4 20.Be3 Qe8 21.Ng5 Re5 22.Bf3

Not good. Better is 22.Nf3, 22.Kf1 or 22.c5.

22...h6

Better is 22...Rxg5 23.Bxc6 Qxc6 24.Bxg5.

23.Nh3 Rd8 24.Nf4 g5 25.Nd3 Re6 26.c5 f5 27.Bd2

The final mistake.

27...Rxe1+ 28.Bxe1 Rxd3

White resigned.

0-1

3. Summery

In the Fajarowicz Gambit black makes no immediate effort to regain the gambit pawn, preferring to concentrate on active piece play and tactical tricks. This can be your attacking weapon against 1.d4 if you want.