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The Urusov Gambit is most often reached via the Bishop's Opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nf3. Fans of the Scotch and Göring Gambits can also enter the line via an 1.e4 e5 2.d4 move-order, viz. 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nf3, or 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Bc4. In the third case, Tim Harding has mentioned that "White usually plays 4.e5 instead of 4.Bc4", but in casual games I've quite often got into the Urusov Gambit using that particular move-order, unable to resist the opportunity to enter these lines.
In this gambit White lets Black capture the e4-pawn with the knight on f6, but intends to meet this by bringing the queen into the centre with Qd1xd4, and then send the queen over to the kingside with Qd4-h4. While will build up pressure in the centre and on the kingside with Nb1-c3, Bc1-g5, 0-0-0, and bringing rooks to d1 and e1. Black has two main setups against it, either playing ...d6 and ...Be6 to block off the bishop on c4, or playing ...c6 and ...d5 to take some control over the centre at the cost of lagging development. A rarer but equally reasonable defence is to play ...Bb4 with the aim of exchanging off the knight on c3, which prevents White from safely castling to the queenside. |
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In the Urusov Gambit White is relying almost entirely on a lead in development to generate compensation for the pawn. Black has no obvious weaknesses, but a key point behind the gambit is that Black cannot safely continue as per the Hungarian Defence with ...Nf6, ...d6, ...Be7 and ...0-0 and expect a solid pawn-up position. The diagram on the left illustrates the problem. White's lead in development leads to a very strong kingside attack. One threat is simply Bc4-d3, followed by Bxf6 and Qxh7#. If Black chases the bishop on g5 with ...h7-h6, White can often meet it with a very strong Bxh6 sacrifice, followed by bringing the rooks over to attack the black king. For this reason Black more often leaves the king in the centre for a while to keep White guessing as to where to direct the attack, and can sometimes kick the bishop on g5 with ...h7-h6 under more favourable circumstances, but then Black has to be careful not to be crushed down the central files.
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The Bxh6 sacrifice (which Tim McGrew liked to call "The Blitz" in his adventures in the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit) is not always a killer in the Urusov. Sometimes Black can decline the bishop, typically with ...Nf6-e4, so that the bishop on e7 attacks the white queen on h4, though in that case White tends to get the pawn back. On other occasions, if Black accepts it, the white attack may not be decisive (this is commonly seen in the relatively rare variations with ...Bf8-b4).
However, in many variations Black has to be very careful of this sacrifice. In the diagram on the left, Black has accepted the bishop and is now a piece for a pawn ahead, but cannot get enough pieces over to the kingside in time. The immediate threat is Nf3-g5 followed by sending the bishop or knight into h7. White can also send reinforcements in with Nc3-e4 and, in some variations, bringing the rook on d1 across to the kingside. There have been four games in the Chesslive.de database from this position and all ended in quick wins for White. |