An Easy Solution to the Stafford Gambit | Climbing the Rating Ladder vs. 1821

Рет қаралды 22,344

10 ай бұрын

In this continuation of the "Climbing the Rating Ladder" series I take on players of various ratings levels while pointing out typical mistakes and spots for improvement along the way (possibly my own!? :)). Here I commentate a 10+0 game against a player rated 1821 on Chess.com. The Stafford Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Nc6) was popularized by IM Eric Rosen, and you can expect to run into it frequently online if you're a 1.e4 player. Although 4.Nxc6 is the engine-approved refutation, I propose you meet this tricky gambit line with 4.d4. This simple move, defending the knight on e5, promises White a good game without having to fight in murky, heavily analyzed tactical territory that the Stafford player loves. Moreover, our would-be gambiteer opponents are likely to have to defend and avoid traps themselves!
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Пікірлер: 78

@eriksteffahn6172 9 ай бұрын

28:40 This is definitely the best line for white, after blacks most common moves (7... Qa5 8.Bd2 Bb4 9. a3 Bxc3 10. Bxc3 Qb6 11. Qd3) they just end up in a miserable position, lichess stockfish already gives +3 here, even though material is still equal. Blacks only good try is 7... Qe6, but even here Qd4, e5 or Bd3 all give white a significant advantage. 32:00 This is the best line against Nxe5, basically white gets a free kingside attack and black doesn't have obvious counterplay, stockfish gives +2.

@eriksteffahn6172 9 ай бұрын

Also a quick summary of the Nxe4 Qe2 line: Every move except Qe7 (or Qh4 g3 Qe7) loses at least a piece for black. About the Qe7 line: The line at 27:17 is simple, practically very strong and shows the key idea of getting the knight to d5, the engine finds a miracle defense for black though. Objectively the best line is 5... Qe7 6. Qxe4 d6 7. Bb5 Bd7 8. Bg5 f6 9. Nc3 dxe5 10. Nd5 and white is winning, but the position is very complicated.

@davidb6477 10 ай бұрын

I can't wait for Rosen's "An Easy Solution to the Scandi."

@realKentCen 10 ай бұрын

Keep waiting because he doesn’t have one 😂😊😊 jk I like Rosen mostly sorta

@realKentCen 10 ай бұрын

@hunterham9414 ikr Eric basically was my biggest rival when I was in high school. His high school team was full of smart logic-based thinkers with possibly a slight disposition not to be most socially apt, but so was my team, so I don't blame him. Anyway, kudos to you for your MASSIVE Rating Gain!! That's so awesome to hear. As we like to say on FICS, hunterham9414, keep go.

@realKentCen 10 ай бұрын

@hunterham9414 ah, whoopsies .. it is socially adept, not socially apt. Socially adept as in cognizant of one's surroundings from a holistic standpoint-physically and mentally, emotionally and um what's the word I'm looking4

@itsmemailingyou4234 10 ай бұрын

1. d4

@fuadyhidayat 10 ай бұрын

😂😂😂

@chad55009 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for the upload. I'm in my late 30's and just started playing a few months ago. I find all these videos very helpful for grinding up the ladder.

@JaysCigar 10 ай бұрын

Methodical play...and the methodical commentary accompanying the play is outstanding! John makes it look easy. Great video -

@faznaz7455 10 ай бұрын

26:10 Oh no😂 It happens to the best of us Edit: I already commented before John asked not to timestamp seconds later😳

@PerceivedREALITY999 10 ай бұрын

Thanks for another instructive upload. You continue to produce quality content. Greetings from Australia.

@JohnBartholomewChess 10 ай бұрын

Appreciate you tuning in from down under!

@k.k.2749 10 ай бұрын

Yaaaaaay. Another video from the best educational chess channel on KZfaq!

@JohnBartholomewChess 10 ай бұрын

🙏

@Unknown-pt7xe 10 ай бұрын

just love these vids, you're so calm under the pressure

@saitamabeach2200 10 ай бұрын

Very nice helpful content as always John, thank you A lesson I learned from a Ben Finegold lecture a couple years back, you DO NOT have to play into someone else's expertise! There is no one forcing you to play into the Smith-Morra if Marc Esserman is your opponent 😂!

@spartanthe300ththermopylae4 10 ай бұрын

John's thought process and the explanations are always so clear and instructive. Laser - like. Thanks again John!

@katis999 10 ай бұрын

very nice, John, always good to hear your thought process during a game :)

@lyqst 10 ай бұрын

Hey John, I play d4 against the Stafford too, for the exact same reasons you have in the video, I don't want to play into the opponent's prep, even if it is theoretically better for me. Great video as always!!

@JohnBartholomewChess 10 ай бұрын

Thanks, lyqst!!

@notgodzod 7 ай бұрын

Great vid, really educational. Thanks John!

@JohnBartholomewChess 7 ай бұрын

Glad you found it useful - cheers!

@Paperman299 6 ай бұрын

Adding to the comments thanking you John! Incredible video as always!

@JohnBartholomewChess 6 ай бұрын

Thanks for watching!

@realKentCen 8 ай бұрын

A month ago I said I would comment that same day after watching it. This video was on my KZfaq Watch Later list a month too long! For me, technology distracts me from, well, technology. I watched this video and now I am equipped to face the Stafford Gambit. Thanks, John, and oh we will likely play each other in bullet in the Hourly Bullet Arena soon! (I am a HyperBullet enthusiast/specialist (well, crazyhouse and bughouse 🎉 are technically my main specialties) in the Bullet category on lichess, as opposed to 1 0, but I am leaning toward not berserking against you the next time we face off, but we’ll or I’ll see! You’re 2-0 against me, bugfan, on lichess)

@JohnBartholomewChess 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for your comment and viewership, Kent! Till meet again in the bullet arena 😀

@goldenlion3184 10 ай бұрын

It's great advice to not play on your opponent's pet territory. Such a clean and methodical finish, instructive to stay calm and focused when you have a small advantage. Great chess, Thanks, John!

@michaelmorris4515 10 ай бұрын

I find the advice to find an off ramp off people's pet lines to be sound, unless it's a pet line I use - then I play the line I hate to see the most and see if I can learn anything.

@DeathEaterLink 10 ай бұрын

Wow, it's unbelievable John has accomplished so much in Chess as only a young teenager. 26:10 /s thanks for the video JB, 4.d4 is definitely a chill idea to remember to pull Black out of the Stafford

@JohnBartholomewChess 10 ай бұрын

😂 Yup, throwing it back to my youth! Glad you liked this idea against the Stafford!

@KF1 10 ай бұрын

Nice play. During your calculation I missed that the queen was pinned and couldn't take the rook in the corner. Definite Ah-ha! moment

@chessanalysis64 10 ай бұрын

Thanks John, Very Helpful. !!!!!!

@giancarlodisalvo1784 10 ай бұрын

John seems like one of the nicest humans to have ever existed

@danjeory3659 10 ай бұрын

Haven't had a Stafford for some time, but I will definitely try this d4 defence and follow up with Qe2, Nc3 and 0-0-0 if NxN and Nxe4... Shout out to the Analysis Crew!

@robertgelblum5154 10 ай бұрын

I consider John's recommendation against the Stafford Gambit (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxe5 Nc6 4 d4 !?) to be an interesting practical suggestion. I'm pretty sure that White should be winning (or have a large advantage) with 4 Nxc6 theoretically, but in practice it's all too easy to stumble against Black's early initiative. I have studied several videos on refuting the Stafford (more than 6 months ago), but right now I honestly can't recall all the details. In general, I very much like the idea John mentioned of avoiding playing in our opponents' territory - instead trying to get them into our territory, where we hope they'll be uncomfortable.

@stephenbeckman208 10 ай бұрын

Love your content man 🙂

@petermead8229 10 ай бұрын

You are the only KZfaqr I watch consistently John - I follow John John Florence, a humble extremely skilled world champion surfer who posts less regularly, and Aesop Rock, the most lyrically profound rapper of our age, a true poet and artist. I just wanted to say, you are more watched than both, and in fine company when I indulge in all three!! Thank you sir.

@gillesgenete9598 7 ай бұрын

I remember winning in a lost position thanks to the clock, my king being chased for 5 or 6 moves before the clock ticked.

@JohnBartholomewChess 7 ай бұрын

Always painful

@rgqwerty63 10 ай бұрын

I also play 4.d4 against the Stafford. It scores extremely well in the lichess database

@pourygin9496 4 ай бұрын

There is a free chessable course called "beat bad and pesky openings" that goes over 4. d4 against the stafford gambit.

@stoutlager6325 10 ай бұрын

I kinda like this line of your's against the Stafford. I'll give it a go.

@walterbrownstone8017 10 ай бұрын

I'm always happy to accept the Gambit. I don't know what I'm doing but it's always exciting and fun!

@user-wl9ki5rb3l 8 ай бұрын

Importantly! loved the voice crack- made me laugh

@kesatola3554 10 ай бұрын

Both John and Eric are releasing videos on how to crush Stafford lately :( I need some Stafford saviour to show me the light again

@realKentCen 10 ай бұрын

I once read a comprehensive guide to the Stafford by some strong player. I read it and decided not to read any other guides. Well, I’m going to put this video of yours, IM Fins, to my Watch Later and watch it later today.

@BenRook 10 ай бұрын

Good clean win without fuss...textbook!

@jimhenderson6440 8 ай бұрын

In the position at 45:04, it seems that White's next move, 18.Be3, is even more of an inaccuracy than indicated by the online version of Stockfish, running at relatively low depth. At higher depth, Stockfish thinks this move allows Black to draw, but only if Black finds the continuation 18...Bxe3 19.fxe3 Rb8, skewering White's knight and b-pawn. After 20.Nxa7 Rxb2 21.Rab1 Rxb1 22.Rxb1, White is a pawn up; however, his pawn structure is so badly damaged that Black can draw. Stockfish suggests the continuation 22...Ke7 23.a4 Bd7 24.Rb7 Kd6 25.Nb5+ Bxb5 26.Rxb5 Rc8 27.Rb6+ Ke5 28.Rb2 Ra8 29.Ra2 Ra5, and Black's active king and rook permit him to draw the rook-and-pawn endgame despite being a pawn down. Stockfish thinks the alternative move 18.b3 is winning for White with best play; after 18...O-O, _now_ White can play 19.Be3 Bxe3 20.fxe3. The main line from here is 20...a5 21.Nd4 Rc8 22.Rd3 Rfe8 23.Rad1 Rc5 24.a3 h5 25.Kf2 h4 26.Ke1 Bd7 27.Kd2 Rec8 28.b4 R5c7 29.Rb3 Kf8 30.Ra1 Ke7 31.a4 axb4 32.Rxb4 Ra7 33.a5 Kd6 34.Rb6+ Kc7 35.Rb5 Kd6 36.Rb6+ Kc7 37.h3 Rca8 38.Nb3 Rh8 39.Nc5 Bc8 40.Rb4 Rh5 41.Nd3 Bd7 42.Ra3 Kd8 43.Rd4 Ke7 44.Ne1 Rh6 45.Rxd5, and having won a second pawn, White will go on to win. Otherwise basically flawless play!

@kevinlee983 10 ай бұрын

This is truly an example of R.I.P. Stafford

@thetransferaccount4586 2 ай бұрын

nice game clean

@nickd5422 10 ай бұрын

Beard's looking good John 🧔‍♂

@ThomasHDBass 8 ай бұрын

After Bc4 you are actually in a favourable line of the Uruzov gambit.

@Japan-Four 10 ай бұрын

Very popular newb opening no doubt. Crush everyone that plays this garbage line against me. Once in a while though you get 30 moves in and you make one mistake no matter how slight and it's so opportune a time nothing will get the win afterwards...it feels horrible to lose to this opening in particular. It's as bad as the St George Defence/Vienna gambit. But that's life and it is sharp so it's fun regardless.

@westofwahpeton4692 10 ай бұрын

“Knock on Wood” I usually just use my head 😂

@elindauer 10 ай бұрын

One of the less-well-known advantages of having the bishop pair is that you can try to transform it into opposite-colored bishops and hold defensively. You can see how this limits the squares where John's knight can go in the early middle game here, reducing the knight's strength a bit. No surprise he is up to the challenge though. ❤

@faznaz7455 10 ай бұрын

As a concept, the bishop pair is very situational and is entirely dependent upon the demands of the position even though it’s more often an asset. And it’s way too optimistic to apply this concept in this specific scenario of John’s game, because John has already castled and all of his pieces are ready to mobilize. Black didn’t have the time to control all of white’s threats and the knight was hopping around creating threats.

@danfanea496 10 ай бұрын

John, there is an unbelievable amount or commercials. Its way more comfortable to download the video and watch it offline😊

@MikeDIY 10 ай бұрын

Analysis gang for the W!

@darrendavison9171 10 ай бұрын

I always play 5.f3 after accepting the stafford. Seem to have great success with it but rarely see any analysis of it. Most Stafford players therefore don't have any prep for it

@JohnBartholomewChess 10 ай бұрын

Interesting one. I suppose it could bait players to blunder 5...Nxe4 6.Qe2.

@darrendavison9171 10 ай бұрын

Even works the other way. 5 ... Nxe4 6. fxe4 Qh4+ 7. g3 Qxe4+ 8. Qe2 ... Most games (that I play), black continues with 5. ... Bc5 allowing c3 and d4 with a slightly more comfortable game for white. The better try for black in the f3 line seems to be 5. ... Nh5. King safety means there are still a lot of good sacrificial lines for black and white needs to play with care

@camrdale 10 ай бұрын

I think premoves on this site have to replace/hide captured pieces because of multiple premoves. Otherwise you wouldn't be able to continue premoving the piece you captured with.

@JohnBartholomewChess 10 ай бұрын

Good point!

@SevenTwo7ven 10 ай бұрын

Eric is somewhere punching air

@NeinStein 10 ай бұрын

I somehow have the urge to tell your opponent about my code debugging problems.

@Smallgot83 10 ай бұрын

Hey John, followed you for a long time. I just had a thought, have you ever thought about commentating? You’d be great at it I think.

@JohnBartholomewChess 10 ай бұрын

Thanks! I've done some guest commentary here and there; it's fun every once in awhile.

@somethingness 10 ай бұрын

Alternative title for this video: "Playing an Eric Rosen acolyte"

@MegaArroman 10 ай бұрын

@26:10 🤣🤣🤣🤣

@AlexDings 10 ай бұрын

What a provocative title to all the Rosen fans in your audience, which is surely almost a circle of a Venn diagram... are you trying to add to all the chess drama? 🙂