An Introduction to The Belgrade Gambit

Richard Westbrook, 2006.

The Belgrade Gambit stems from the Four
Knights Opening, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3
Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nd5!? It was introduced in
the first Belgrade Championship (1945). It
looks strange; an opening gambit should
result in a lead in development, but White
violates the principle of not moving the same
piece twice before development is complete
The forth-coming attack is not at all obvious!
It is only after the position is studied a bit
more that one realizes that Black has no easy
way to refute White
s play. By putting the
knight on d5 White prevents the advance of
Black
s d-pawn to d5 which usually indicates
equalization by Black in double e-pawn
openings.

5.Nd5!?

This is the Belagrade Gambit. Or, White

could play the solid:
5.Nxd4

Best for Black is 5 Bb4!

a) 5...
6.Nxc6

Bc5?!
bxc6

If 6...
dxc6
7.Qxd8+
Kxd8
8.Bg5
Be7
9.000+ Ke8
10.f3 +/=. White has a formation similar
to the Exchange Variation of the Ruy
Lopez, but with the bishop pair!!

The knight occupies an excellent outpost on

d5 and aside from the cramp it puts on
Black
s position it also sits poised to combine
with other pieces for a sudden attack.

7.Bd3
8.exd5
9.00

Also, the knight is not easily chased away

from its post. For instance if Black did not
have a knight on c6 he would simply play
...c7-c6 kicking the white knight out of his
outpost. However to accomplish this now
Black would first have to move the knight on
c6, canceling out White
s extra knight move
in the opening.
1.e4
2.Nf3
3.Nc3
4.d4

d5
cxd5

Or, 9.Qe2+ Qe7

10.Qxe7+ Kxe7
11.00
c6
12.Ne2 with equal chances.
9...
00
10.Bg5 with equal chances.

e5
Nc6
Nf6
exd4

b) 5...
Nxd4?!
6.Qxd4
d6
7.Bg5 White has a good game.

XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwqkvl-tr0
7zppzpp+pzpp01
6-+n+-sn-+0
5+-+-+-+-0
4-+-zpP+-+0
3+-sN-+N+-0
2PzPP+-zPPzP0
1tR-vLQmKL+R0
xabcdefghy

c) 5...
6.Nxe4
7.f3
8.Bb5
9.Bxc6
10.00
11.fxe4!

Nxe4?
Qe7
d5
Bd7
bxc6
dxe4 +/=

Ok is 11.Re1 000
12.Rxe4

An Introduction to The Belgrade Gambit

Richard Westbrook, 2006.
11...

c5

If 11...
000
12.Qd3!
threatening Qa6+ followed
by Rf3 with a dangerous attack.
If 11...
12.Bf4
13.e5 +/=.

g6!?
Bg7

00
cxd6

6.Qe2

White obtains no edge with

6.Bc4!?
Be7
7.00
00
8.Re1
Nf6
9.Nxe7+

So, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4

exd4 5.Nd5!?

XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwqkvl-tr0
7zppzpp+pzpp02
6-+n+-sn-+0
5+-+N+-+-0
4-+-zpP+-+0
3+-+-+N+-0
2PzPP+-zPPzP0
1tR-vLQmKL+R0
xabcdefghy

Not 9.Rxe7? Nxe7

10.Nxf6+ gxf6
11.Qxd4
d5 =/+.
9...
Nxe7
10.Qxd4
d5 White will have a hard time
recovering the pawn.
6...

Nxe4

This is Batsford Chess Opening's choice, but

not the most popular. This probably indicates
that the gambit is encountered by players not
yet strong enough to use BCO, or who simply
are unfamiliar with the Gambit
s theory.

Most commonly played is

7.Ng5 [Bf4!?]
which is strong. Black must find
7...

Weaker is 5...
6.exd5
7.Bd2
8.Qe2
9.Kxd2!
10.Bxe2
11.d6!
12.Kd3!

f5

XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwqkvl-tr0
7zppzpp+-zpp03
6-+n+-+-+0
5+-+N+p+-0
4-+-zpn+-+0
3+-+-+N+-0
2PzPP+QzPPzP0
1tR-vL-mKL+R0
xabcdefghy

Black must decide on how to proceed. The

choices are
5Nxe4;
5Nxd5?!; and the rare
5Nb4 (not covered; play 6.Bc4) and,.
5Bc5 (not covered; play 6.Bc4)
5...

13.Rhe1
14.Nxd4
15.Nf5 +/=

Nxd5
Bb4+
Qe7+
Bxd2+
Qxe2+
Nb4
Nc6
b6

d3!

Weaker, for example, is

7...
Bb4+?
8.c3 [or Nxb4] dxc3
9.bxc3
Be7
10.Nxe4
fxe4
11.Qxe4
00
12.Bd3
g6

An Introduction to The Belgrade Gambit

Richard Westbrook, 2006.
13.Bh6

White has compensation for the pawn!

For other 7th moves, see Sample Games.
8.cxd3

From Diagram 4, (with 10 c6):

11.dxe4
cxd5

XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwqkvl-tr0
7zpp+p+-+p05
6-+-+-+p+0
5+-+p+psN-0
4-+-snP+-wQ0
3+-+-+-+-0
2PzP-+-zPPzP0
1tR-vL-mKL+R0
xabcdefghy

Not 8.Qxd3?Nb4
9.Nxb4
Bxb4+
10.c3
Nxg5
11.cxb4

White has no compensation for the pawn or

shattered pawn structure.
8...
9.Qh5+
10.Qh4

Nd4
g6

We have reached a well-known position.

(1) Customary has been
12.exd5
Qa5+ (12...Bg7 13.Kd1)
13.Kd1
Qxd5
14.Bd3
Ne6
15.Kc2
Qxg2
16.Re1
Be7
17.Bb5 =/+.

XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwqkvl-tr0
7zppzpp+-+p04
6-+-+-+p+0
5+-+N+psN-0
4-+-snn+-wQ0
3+-+P+-+-0
2PzP-+-zPPzP0
1tR-vL-mKL+R0
xabcdefghy
10...

2) However, Fritz 8 suggests

12.exf5
Bg7
If 12...
13.Qg4;

Nxf5

If 12...
13.Kd1
14.Qf4
15.Qd2
16.b3
17.Bb2

Qa5+
Nxf5
Bd6
Qa4+
Qc6
00 -/+.

c6

a) Just transposing is 10...Bg7

11.dxe4
Nc2+, see below;
b) 10...
Nc2+
11.Kd1
Nxa1
12.dxe4
Bg7
13.Qg3! +/- d6
14.Nxh7! Kf7
15.Bc4!
Rxh7
16.Bg5 (Weaving the net!) Be6

13.Kd1
Nxf5
14.Qb4
Bf6
15.h4
h6
16.Nf3
d6
17.Bd3
00
18.Kc2
=/+
Computer analysis!! Black is somewhat
better, but there is still lots of play.

Not 16... Qf8??

17.Nxc7+ d5
18.Bxd5+ Be6
19.Bxe6#.
17.Bxd8 +- White wins!

An Introduction to The Belgrade Gambit

Richard Westbrook, 2006.

XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwq-trk+0
7zppzppvlpzpp0
6-+n+-+-+0
5+-+N+-+-0
4-+Lzpn+-+0
3+-+-+N+-0
2PzPP+-zPPzP0
1tR-vLQtR-mK-0
xabcdefghy

Sample Games
Prie, Eric (2360) - Haik, Aldo (2400)
Paris Open (9), 1983
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Be7!?
If 5...
6.Nxb4 [c3]
7.e5
8.Bb5
9.00.

Bb4+
Nxb4
Qe7
Ng4 (8...Qc5 9.00!)

If 5...
6.exd5
7.Bd2
8.Qe2
9.Kxd2
10.Bxe2

Nxd5?!
Bb4+
Qe7+
Bxd2+
Qxe2+

8...

If 8...
Nc5?!
9.Rxe7
Nxe7
10.Bg5
Re8
11.Ne5
Ne6
12.Qh5! Full-tilt boogie! White has a winning
attack
If 8...
9.Bd3

White has the better ending! IM Polovodin

(2355) - Tseitlin (2505), 1979, continued
10...Nb4 11.Rhe1 00 12.d6! c5 13.Bc4 b5
14.Bxb5 Rb8 15.Bc4 Ba6 16.Ne5 Bxc4
17.Nxc4 Nc6 18.Re7! Nxe7 19.dxe7 Rfe8
20.Re1 Rb6?! (20...d5!?) 21.Nxb6 axb6
22.b4!? (22.Kd3!!) 22...d6 23.a4!! f6 24.a5!
b5 25.Kd3 Kf7 26.a6 g6 27.a7 h5 28.f4 h4
29.h3 f5 30.Re2 10. White will break up the
queenside pawns, win the survivors, and then
march his king up the board to assist the apawn, forcing Black to give up his rook.
If 5...
6.Bg5 +/=.

Bc5?!

6.Bc4

Nd6!?
Re8

If 9...
Bf6?
10.Nxf6+! Qxf6
11.Bg5! Black loses the queen!
10.Bf4 White is doing OK.
9.Rxe7?! [Nxe7+, =] Nxd5!?
Apparently Black wanted to avoid
9...
Nxe7
10.Nxf6+
gxf6
11.Qxd4
d5
12.Bd3
Ng6
which would be a difficult position to defend.
10.Rxf7
11.Bxd5
12.Nxd4
13.Nxc6
14.Bxf7+
15.Qh5+

Michail Tal stated that this move is in the

spirit of "maintaining the gambit theme."
6...
7.00
8.Re1

Nf6

00
Nxe4

Rxf7
h6 To keep the N off of g5.
d6
bxc6
Kxf7

White can win a pawn with

An Introduction to The Belgrade Gambit

Richard Westbrook, 2006.
15.Qf3+
Kg8
16.Qxc6 but the text is stronger.
15...

9.Qd4!
Nxd5?? [...00]
10.Qxh8+
Ke7
11.Qe5+
Kf8
12.Bh6+
10.
Black resigned just in time to avoid 12...Kg8
13.Qg7#.

Kg8

Bishops of opposite color favor the attacker!!

16.Bxh6!!

Be6

Arutyunova, Diana - Mungutuul, Batbuyag

Wch U10 Girls Cannes (10), 1997
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Be7?!
6.Nxd4
Nxe4?!

Not 16...
gxh6??
17.Qg6+
Kh8 (17...Kf8 18.Qxh6+)
18.Qxh6+
Kg8
19.Qg6+
Kh8 (19...Kf8 20.Re1 crushes.)
20.Re1 White wins easily.
17.Bd2 and White won as follows: 17...Qd7
18.Re1 Rf8 19.Bc3 Rf7 20.Re4 Bf5 21.Rh4
Kf8 22.Qh8+ Ke7 23.Qa8!? [23.Ra4]
23...Qe6 24.Rh8 Qd7 25.Qxa7 c5 26.Qb8
Bxc2 27.Bxg7 [27.Rc8!] 27...Ke6 28.Bc3
Qc6 29.Qe8+ Qxe8 30.Rxe8+ Kd7 31.Rg8
d5 32.Rg7 Ke6 33.Rxf7 Kxf7 34.Kf1 d4
35.Ba5 c6 36.Bb6 Ke6 37.Bxc5 Kd5 38.Ba7
c5 39.Ke2 Bb1 40.a3 c4 41.Kd2 Be4 42.f3
Bf5 43.h4 Bg6 44.g4 10.

Better is 6...
7.exd5
8.Qxd4
9.Be2 =.

7.Nf5 [White threatens Qg4!] g6?

8.Nfxe7
Nxe7
9.Qd4!
Nxd5?? [9...00 10.Qxe4]
10.Qxh8+
Ke7
11.Qe5+
Kf8
12.Bh6+
Kg8
13.Qg7#
10.

Agosto, Erika - De Maio, Anna

ITA-ch (Women) Formia (4), 1992
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Be7?!
6.Nxd4
Nxe4? [...00]
7.Nf5
g6??
Better is 7...
8.Qg4
9.Nxf6+
10.Nh6+
11.Qxe4
12.Bd3
13.Be3!
14.Bxe4

00
Bf6
Qxf6
Kh8
gxh6
Qe5
Qxe4
Re8 +/=.

8.Nfxe7

Nxe7

Nxd5
Nxd4
00

Hartleif, Silke - Verkooyen, Michaela

Ruhrgebiet-ch U20 Girls GER, 1996
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxe4
6.Qe2
f5
7.Ng5
Ne7?
8.Nxe4
Nxd5??
9.Nd6#
10.
Macek, Lukas - Vetrovec, Z
Czech Fed-ch U14 (9), 1997
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6

An Introduction to The Belgrade Gambit

Richard Westbrook, 2006.
8.Qxe4+
9.Ng5+
10.Bc4
11.Ne7#

4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxe4
6.Qe2
f5
7.g4!?
g6
8.gxf5
gxf5
9.Ng5
Ne5
10.Qh5+
Ng6
11.Nxe4 [11.Nxh7! Rg8 12.Rg1 +-] fxe4
12.Bg5
10.

Kf7?? [...Ne7]
Kg8
Nb4
10.

Knox, Victor - Eley, Brian

BCF-ch Coventry (6), 1970
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxe4
6.Bc4!?
Bb4+
7.c3
dxc3
8.00
00
9.Qc2
Re8
10.Bf4
d6
11.Rae1
Nd2??
12.Ng5
1-0.

Wrobel, F - Rapp, Uwe

Germany, 1989
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxe4
6.Qe2
f5
7.Ng5
Be7?!
8.Nxe4
fxe4
9.Qxe4
00
10.Bc4
Kh8
11.Bd3
g6
12.Bh6
Re8
13.00
d6
14.Rae1
Bf5
15.Qf4
Qd7 [...Ne5]
16.Bb5
Kg8??
17.Rxe7
10.

If 12...g6 13.Rxe8+ Qxe8 14.Nf6+ Kf8

15.Ngxh7+ [15.Nxe8 Nxc4] 15...Kg7
16.Nxe8+ Kxh7 17.bxc3 +-.
Van der Weide, Karel (2345)
Ye Rongguang (2475)
Haarlem Open (4), 1996
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxe4
6.Qe2
f5
7.Ng5
Ne7? An IM misses! 7...d3.
8.Nxe4
fxe4? Twice!

Dusova, P - Lesniakova, M
CZE-ch U10 Girls, 1994
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxe4
6.Qe2
f5
7.g4?! [Ng5; Bf4] fxg4??+-

8...
d3
prevents White's light-squared bishop from
getting out quickly, but Black is still lost ....
9.cxd3
fxe4
10.Qh5+!
g6
11.Qe5
d6
12.Qxh8
Nxd5
13.dxe4
Qe7
14.Qd4

White is up the exchange and winning.

Black should play 7... d6!?

8.gxf5
Bxf5
9.Nd2
Ne5
10.Nxe4
c6
11.Bg2 in order to keep a small advantage.

An Introduction to The Belgrade Gambit

Richard Westbrook, 2006.
9.Qh5+!
10.Qe5
11.Bg5!

g6
Rg8

11.Nxc7+!!
12.Bg5

Kf7
Rg7

XIIIIIIIIY
8r+lwqr+k+0
7zppzpp+-+p0
6-+n+-+pvL0
5+-+N+-+-0
4-vl-zpQ+-+0
3+-+L+-+-0
2PzPP+-zPPzP0
1tR-+-+K+R0
xabcdefghy

(12...Bg7? 13.Qf4+ Nf5 14.Bxd8)

13.Bc4+
d5
14.Bxd5+
Nxd5
15.Bxd8 wins easier.
11...
12.Nxc7+!
13.Qf4+

13.Qf3

Bg7
Kf8
10.

Crushing is 13.Nf6+! Kf7

14.Nxe8
d5
Not 14...
15.Qf3+
16.Bg5+
17.Bc4!
18.Qf8+
19.Bf4 +-.

Lorenzo, Eduardo - Salgado, Oscar (2166)

Galicia-ch Absoluto Mondariz (3.8), 2003
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxe4
6.Qe2
f5
7.Ng5
d3
8.Qxd3?!
Nxg5?
9.Bxg5
Qxg5? [...Be7]
10.Nxc7+
Kd8?? [10...Kf7 11.Nxa8 +/-]
11.Ne6+
10.
Tran Hoang Ngoc,Thang
Vu The Nam
VIE-ch U09 Vietnam (6), 2005
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxe4
6.Qe2
f5
7.Ng5
Be7
8.Nxe4
fxe4
9.Qxe4
00
10.Bd3
g6
11.Bh6
Bb4+
12.Kf1
Re8

Qxe8??
Ke7
Kd6
Qe5
Ne7

15.Qf4+
16.a3 Be7

Kxe8
17.Re1 +-

13...
14.Nf6+
15.Nxe8 B
16.Qf8#

d6? [13...Re6! =/+]

Kh8
d7?? [15...Qe7 +-]
10.

Levacic, Melissa - Chatte, Anne Sophie

FRA-ch U12 Girls Montlucon (6), 1997
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxd5?!
6.exd5
Ne7 [...Bb4+]
7.Bc4

Stronger are 7.d6! cxd6

8.Nxd4 +/-; and,
7.Qxd4!
8.Qe4+

Nf5
Qe7

An Introduction to The Belgrade Gambit

Richard Westbrook, 2006.
9.Bd3 +/=.
7...
8.Nxd4
9.dxc6
10.h3?!

15.Ke2 +-.
d6
c5
bxc6

11...
12.Qxb4
13.Bd3
14.Bxh7+!

A waste of time. 10.Qf3 d5 11.Nxc6!

10...
11.Bd3
12.00
13.Bb5+!

Perez, Manuel (2300) - Buenadicha, Ramon

Mondariz op 7th Mondariz (1), 26.07.2000
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Bb4+?!
6.Nxb4
Nxb4
7.e5!? [Nxd4] Ng8 [7...Qe7 8.Bb5 =]
8.Bc4
d5
9.exd6
Qxd6
10.00
Be6
11.Bxe6
fxe6
12.Ng5 [12.Nxd4 000 13.Be3] h6? [...Ne7]
13.Qh5+
Kd7
14.Nf7 +Nf6? [14...Qd5]
15.Qb5+
c6
16.Qxb7+
10.

d5
Bb7
c5??
10.

Repkova Eid, Eva (2320) - Harvan, Martin

SVK-ch Trencin (2), 1995
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nf6
3.Nc3
Nc6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
Nxd5?!
6.exd5
Nb4
7.Bc4
Qe7+
8.Kf1
Qe4
9.Bg5!?

Somewhat better is
9.Qxd4
Qxd4
10.Nxd4
Bc5
11.Be3
Bxd4
12.Bxd4
Nxc2
13.Bxg7
+/=.

Edwards, Matthew - Hayami, Marvin

Seattle Open (7), 1994
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Nc3
Nf6
4.d4
exd4
5.Nd5
d6!?
6.Nxd4
Nxd4
7.Qxd4
Be7
8.Bd3
Nxd5
9.exd5
Bf6
10.Qe4+
Qe7
11.Qxe7+
Kxe7
12.c3
Bg4
13.h3
Bh5 [...Bd7]
14.g4
Bg6
15.Bxg6
hxg6
16.g5
10.

9...
Be7
10.Qd2 [10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.a3 +/-] 00
11.Re1!?

11.a3

Na6

11...
12.Rc1;

Nxc2?

11...
12.Qxc2
13.Bxe7
14.Bxf8

Qxc2
Nxc2
Nxa1
Kxf8

Bxg5
Qf4
Bf6
10.