Chess opening
The Balogh Defense (also known as the Balogh Counter Gambit ) is an unusual chess opening beginning with the moves:
1. e4 d6
2. d4 f5 It may also arise by transposition from the Staunton Gambit against the Dutch Defense , 1.d4 f5 2.e4!?, if Black declines the gambit with 2...d6.
The defense is named for János Balogh (1892–1980), who was a Hungarian International Master of correspondence chess , and a strong master at over-the-board chess. The opening is rarely seen today because it weakens Black's kingside somewhat and often results in a backward e-pawn and/or a hole on e6 after Black's light-square bishop is exchanged . International Correspondence Chess Master Keith Hayward has recently written a series of articles arguing that the defense, though risky, is playable.[ 1]
Illustrative games The following game shows U.S. Champion Hikaru Nakamura using the Balogh Defense to beat a grandmaster :
Eugene Perelshteyn (2579) vs. Hikaru Nakamura (2662), HB Global Chess Challenge 2005 0–1
Most books, if they mention the Balogh Defense at all, say that it is refuted by 3.exf5 Bxf5 4.Qf3 Qc8 5.Bd3. Hayward believes that this game shows Black's best line against that variation:
W. Jones vs. Hayward, correspondence 2000 ½–½
Hayward believes that the following game shows best play by Black in what he considers the main line:
Hayward vs. Owens, e-mail 1998 1. e4 d6 2. d4 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bd3 fxe4 Balogh liked 4...Nc6, but Hayward considers 5.exf5! Nxd4 6.g4 difficult for Black. 5. Nxe4 Nxe4 6. Bxe4 An earlier game between these players continued 6.h4 Nxe4 7.Bxe4 d5 8.Bd3 Bg7 9.h5 Qd6 10.Nf3 Nc6 11.hxg6 hxg6 12.Rxh8+ Bxh8 13.Be3 Bg4 14.c3 0-0-0 15.Qa4 Bxf3 16.gxf3 e5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Be2 a6 and Black was fine (0–1, 31). g6 7. Nf3 Rimlinger–Hayward, correspondence 2000 went 7.Qf3 c6 8.Bg5 Nd7 9.Qe3 Bg7 10.0-0-0 Nf6 11.Bf3 Bf5 12.Ne2 h6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.h4 Qa5 15.Kb1 0-0-0 16.g4 Bd7 17.Nf4 g5 18.Ne6 Bxe6 19.Qxe6+ Kb8 20.hxg5 hxg5 21.c3 d5 22.Rh5 Qc7 23.Rdh1 Rhf8 24.Rh7 Qd6 25.Qe3 e5 26.dxe5 Bxe5 and Black had the superior pawn structure (but ½–½, 54). d5 8. Bd3 Bg7 9. 0-0 Nc6 10. c3 0-0 11. Bg5 Qd6 12. h3 Bf5 13. Re1 Rae8 14. Re3 e5 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Rxe5 17. Rxe5 Bxe5 18. Bh6 Re8 19. Bxf5 gxf5 20. Qh5 Qg6 21. Qxg6+ hxg6 22. Rd1 c6 ½–½
See also
References
External links Hayward, Keith R. Balogh Counter Gambit, Part 1
Hayward, Keith R. Balogh Counter Gambit, Part 2: Janos Balogh, the Man and His Games
Hayward, Keith R. Balogh Counter Gambit, Part 3: White plays an early exf5
Hayward, Keith R. Balogh Counter Gambit, Part 4: Balogh's Main Line
Hayward, Keith R. Balogh Counter Gambit, Part 5: Remaining Lines
Hayward, Keith R. Balogh Counter Gambit, Part 6 (analysis of Perelshteyn–Nakamura)
Symmetry and chaos: Balogh's Defense. from Chesscafe.com
