By playing the London System, with 1.d4 followed by 2.Nf3 and 3.Bf4, White can avoid a theoretical discussion and instead use natural ability plus a knowledge of plans. The weight of the struggle tends to shift towards the middlegame, but White can also pull off devastatingly quick wins should Black be unaware of the dangers.
Probably most people would not have expected that the Schara von Hennig Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4) would come into fashion again. Recently this well-forgotten gambit, which used to be popular in the nineties, has been tried by strong players like Grischuk and van Foreest.
Black is willing to sacrifice a central pawn for quick development and the pawn sacrifice usually offers sufficient compensation to have threats against the white king. And even if White succeeds in neutralizing all threats, his extra pawn is often pretty worthless as White is often struggling to activate his forces.
In this show I'll offer you a clear game plan for Black and all the critical directions you need to be aware of to try this exciting gambit.
Exercise: Do you see Black's most elegant and powerful continuation?
You can move the pieces on the live diagram!
Strategy Training: How to Make a Plan
In every game of chess, there comes a moment when one is confronted with the question: what should I do now?
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