Question:

Hi Tim,

A while ago I took an advise and ordered the book:“Bird’s Opening”. I found that the book was a pleasant one to read. I do now know 4 main variations of the Bird, I’m happy.

I wanted you to know that the book did improve my game and brought the main goals to my attention.

However I played the From’s gambit lately and since you weren’t convinced that the pawn sac was worth it. So I took the pawn and got in to trouble with Bg4. I thought “Blasted! I have read about it!!” I went home grabbed the book, but this variation is not discussed, only the Lasker (g5) and Nf6 vartion. Bg4 appears to be the most popular variation to be of the From’s gambit.

The game went like this:

According to the chess.com games explorer I should have responded 5. e4 … My question how would you handle this?

I would really appreciate your help here. That is if you have the time to help me out.

Thank you!

Michel de Brouwer

Answer:

Dear Michel,

Yes, 5.g3 is a blunder that gives Black a point of attack at h4.
This line is covered on page 173, note to 5… Nf6, by the transposition 4… Nc6 5.d4 Bg4.
I have faced this line twice by transposition, and other players have had no trouble with it in the move order you give. After 5.e3 (my choice) or even 5.e4 Black has basically nothing for the pawn.

Taylor,Timothy – Aigner,Michael
Bird’s Opening
Las Vegas Masters Las Vegas, 13.06.2006

1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 Nc6

4…Bg4 is the move order you faced. White gets the advantage with both 5.e3 or 5.e4, see below

rn1qk1nr/ppp2ppp/3b4/8/6b1/5N2/PPPPP1PP/RNBQKB1R

5.e3 (5.e4 Nf6 6.Nc3 0–0 7.Be2 Re8 8.d3 c6 9.0–0 Qc7 10.h3 Bh5 11.Nh4 Bxe2 12.Qxe2 Nbd7 13.Nf5 Bf8 14.g4 Nd5 15.Kg2 Re6 16.Qf2 Nxc3 17.bxc3 Rg6 18.Ne7+ Bxe7 19.Qxf7+ Kh8 20.Qxe7 Qc8 21.Rf5 Nf6 22.c4 b5 23.Bb2 Ng8 24.Qc5 bxc4 25.Qxc4 Nh6 26.Raf1 Qe8 27.R5f4 Qc8 28.Qc5 Ng8 29.Rf8 1–0 Gonzalez,B (2428)-Galiana Salom,J (2233)/Mallorca 2000; 5.g3? is what you played 5…h5 6.d4 h4 7.Qd3 hxg3 and black was slightly better) 5…Nc6 6.d4 transposes to the main game Taylor-Aigner

5.d4 Bg4 6.e3

r2qk1nr/ppp2ppp/2nb4/8/3P2b1/4PN2/PPP3PP/RNBQKB1R

6…Qe7

6…Nf6 7.Bd3 (7.Bb5 0–0 8.Nc3 Ne7 9.e4 Bb4 10.Qd3 a6 11.Bc4 Nc6 12.Be3 Bxc3+ 13.bxc3 h6 14.0–0 Qe7 15.e5 Nd7 16.Bxh6 1–0 Taylor,T-MacIntyre,D/HB Global 2005) 7…h5 8.c4 Nb4 9.Nc3 c6 10.Bb1 Qc7 11.a3 Na6 12.Qc2 Qe7 13.Ne4 Bc7 14.Nxf6+ Qxf6 15.0–0 0–0–0 16.Ne5 Qd6 and now 17.g3 would have won for White in Albin,A-Marshall,F/Monte Carlo 1903

7.Be2 Nf6 8.Nc3 0–0 9.0–0 Rae8 10.a3 Qd7 11.Nb5 Nd5 12.Nxd6 Qxd6 13.Qd3 Bh5 14.c4 Bg6 15.Qb3Nf4 16.Bd1 Ne6 17.c5 Qd7 18.d5 Nxc5 19.dxc6 Qxc6 20.Qc3 Qb6 21.b4 Nd3 22.Nd4 Re5 23.Bc2 Nxc1 24.Raxc1 Rfe8 25.Bxg6 Qxg6 26.Rf3 c6 27.Rcf1 f6 28.Nf5 Kh8 29.Rg3 Qf7 30.Nd6 1–0

4r2k/pp3qpp/2pN1p2/4r3/1P6/P1Q1P1R1/6PP/5RK1

Best,

Tim