my favorite but unusual line of the Lopez exchange for Black

[Kevin O'Rourke]

hi.

Doesn't happen enough but I like this line as black


1.e4 .....e5
2.Nf3.....Nc6
3.Bb5....a6
4.BXc6....dxc6
5.Nxe5....Qg5

White must play Nf3 or he loses the h2 pawn as well

I like to grab the g pawn instead of the normal 5....Qd4 getting the e pawn back.

Can someone put this into a diagram on here plz.

thanks

[Roger de Coverly]

I like to grab the g pawn instead of the normal 5....Qd4 getting the e pawn back.

Can someone put this into a diagram on here plz.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 Qg5

[FEN "r1b1kbnr/1pp2ppp/p1p5/4N1q1/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 1 6"]

I don't ever recall seeing a game where one player knew so little theory that they took the pawn on e5.

[John Upham]

Kevin,

A diagram is not required after only five moves.

Moderators :

Can this post be relocated to viewforum.php?f=28 please?

[Eric Gardiner]

I imagine it would occur quite a lot in online games? Checking on Chessbase's online database, I found several 2200+ players who have played 5.Nxe5. A couple of the games look like pre-arranged draws however.

[Roger de Coverly]

In a similar position in the Berlin, Nxe5 does win a pawn, as .. Qd4 doesn't get it back and .. Qg5 isn't legal.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 a6 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. Nxe5 Qd4 7. Nf3

[SetUp "1"] [FEN "r1b1kb1r/1pp2ppp/p1p2n2/8/3qP3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 2 7"]

[IM Jack Rudd]

hi.

Doesn't happen enough but I like this line as black


1.e4 .....e5
2.Nf3.....Nc6
3.Bb5....a6
4.BXc6....dxc6
5.Nxe5....Qg5

White must play Nf3 or he loses the h2 pawn as well

That's not quite right, is it? 6.d4 Qxg2 7.Qf3 also avoids losing a pawn.

[Geoff Chandler]

r1b1kbnr/1pp2ppp/p1p5/4N1q1/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 6
.""White must play Nf3 or he loses the h2 pawn as well."

In Blitz I'd castle. It's a blitz piece sac for the centre. Might be good fun.

But regarding the 5...Qg5 line

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 Qg5 6. d4 Qxg2 7. Qf3 Qxf3 8. Nxf3

I would not sweat too much as White there. I'd enjoy the challenge of cooking something up.
Try it v your favourite computer, you take Black. See how you get on.

EDIT: I see Jack got in just before me. But I've done properly with a diagram, a moving PGN thingy.
and made an assessment of the position in question.

[Matt Mackenzie]

I like to grab the g pawn instead of the normal 5....Qd4 getting the e pawn back.

Can someone put this into a diagram on here plz.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 Qg5

[FEN "r1b1kbnr/1pp2ppp/p1p5/4N1q1/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 1 6"]

I don't ever recall seeing a game where one player knew so little theory that they took the pawn on e5.

Encountered it a couple of times at the very start of my serious chess career four decades ago, though I played 5.....Qd4 - as was and likely still is universally recommended by openings books that mention this - and won pretty easily (both the opponents were barely above beginner strength)

[Kevin O'Rourke]

Thank you. quite like that move for white now you have pointed it out.

Might stick with the Qd4 move. However, i'm sure I read it in a chess book that it said black can play Qd4 or Qg5 in response to the capture of the e pawn.

[Kevin Thurlow]

"In Blitz I'd castle. It's a blitz piece sac for the centre. Might be good fun."

I'd be happier playing the Halloween Gambit...

[JustinHorton]

I like to grab the g pawn instead of the normal 5....Qd4 getting the e pawn back.

Can someone put this into a diagram on here plz.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5 Qg5

[FEN "r1b1kbnr/1pp2ppp/p1p5/4N1q1/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 1 6"]

I don't ever recall seeing a game where one player knew so little theory that they took the pawn on e5.

I have played the Black side on lichess, and more than once I think.