Play Chess Openings: BlackDragon Trap of Queen Budapest

Sunday, February 16, 2014

BlackDragon Trap of Queen Budapest

In blitz chess, mistakes are probable as each side has usually 3-5 minutes for the whole game. In bullet chess, mistakes will happen. Bullet chess is a lot of fun because you know that your opponent will make mistakes. In those games, each side has only 1-2 minutes for the whole game. You just need to keep your mistakes to a minimum to succeed. In some ways, it is like gambling. For example, I have heard that if you bet on National Football League games and can beat the Las Vegas spread 60% of the time, you are very successful. But of course, that means you might lose money 40% of the time!

Back in the 1990s when I played a lot of bullet chess, one of my favorite opponents was a computer named BlackDragon. Usually, it kicked my butt, as it had me outrated around 2600 vs my 2300 at the time. As White& vs BlackDragon I scored 2 wins and 4 draws in 69 games. As Black, I was about the same getting 1 win and 6 draws in 70 games. Here in the Budapest Gambit, I fall for a trap while playing White and quickly lose my queen in the middle of the board. Clearly 4.f4!? is a risky variation. That is a better square for 4.Bf4!

Sawyer - BlackDragon, ICC u 2 1 Internet Chess Club, 21.08.1998 begins 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 Ng4 4.f4!? [4.Nf3; 4.Bf4!] 4...Bc5 5.Nh3 Nc6 6.a3 [6.e4 h5=/+] 6...0-0 7.e3 [If 7.b4 Bd4 8.Ra2 d6-/+ and White's king is caught in the center.] 7...Nxe3 8.Bxe3 Bxe3 9.Qf3? [White had to try 9.Qd3 but 9...Bb6 10.Ng5 g6 11.Nc3 d6 12.Nge4 Bd4 13.0-0-0 dxe5-/+ favors Black.] 9...Nd4 10.Qe4 d5! 11.cxd5